"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎١‎١‎٥] (١٧٨٢/١٢٨٦)

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'auiii
: a is®
Relations
with the
'Oman Sul
tanate, 1848-
65.
1845.
The Wahbabi post in Baraimi was used as a base for extremely
aggressive action against the Sultanate of 'Oman in 184^5, in 1853, and
aijain in 1865.
On his arrival in Trucial 'Oman iiv 1845, Sa'ad-bin-Mutlaq demanded
tribute, at the rate of $5,000 and $20,000 a year respectively, from
the rulers of Sohar and Masqat, and, to enforce compliance, he ravaged
the Batinah district and took Majis, butchering the garrison ; |5,000
was then paid him on account of Sohar and it was agreed that the ques
tion of the Masqat payment should be referred to Saiyid Sa'id, who
was absent in East Africa. The Wahhabi soon violated the truce that
had been arranged ; but tht action of the British authorities in support
of the regent of Masqat, Saiytd Thuwaini, obliged him in the end to be
content with a total annual tribute of $5,000. A douceur of $2,000
Was paid by Saiyid Thuwaini ^o Sa'ad-bin-Mutlaq in consideration of
the settlement, and Majis was lestored to the former owner.
In 1853, during his sojoirn in Baraimi, 'Abdullah, the heir- 1853.
apparent to the Wahhabi Amirdiip, insisted that the Saiyid of Masqat
should cede to him the town ind district of Sohar and pay a greatly
enhanced tribute for the remainder of his dominions : from the exorbi
tance of these demands it was believed that the Wahhabis merely
sought a pretext for declaring wa;. Encouraged by British support,
Saiyid Thawaini prepared to defend Sohar ; the Wahhabis abandoned
their intention of invading Batiiah; and the ultimate result was an
agreement under which the Saiyid was to retain Sohar and pay an
increased tribute of $12,000 a year for the whole 'Oman Sultanate.
It was further arranged that the Wahhabi agent and the ruler of Masqat
should mutually assist one another against all enemies, and in pursuance
of this undertaking Saiyid Thuwaini, in the following year, was actually
helped by the Wahhabis to coerce some refractory tribes in Batinah. The
Wahhabi agent, after these transactions, paid a visit on his own account,
probably in the capacity of tax -collector, to the district of 'Oman Proper
in the interior.
In 1864 the Wahhabis brought indirect pressure to bear on the 1864't)5.
Sultan of 'Oman—now Saiyid Thuwaini, who had succeeded his father
Saiyid Sa'id—by supporting a rebel, Saiyid 'AzZan -bin-Qais of Eustaq,
against his authority ; but the Sultan immediately sought the aid of the
British Government, and the Political Resident in the Gulf, Colonel
Pelly, was directed to report on the situation. In March 1865 Colonel
Pelly paid a personal visit, which will be described later on, to the
Wahhabi Amir in his capital of Riyadh; and there he ascertained that
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