"الملف 35/134 III (A 54) صور: أمراء جعلان". [و‎‎١‎٤‎٥] (٤٢٦/٣٠٧)

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anxi«ty # and it is essential that every penny of revenue to which
the State is legitimately entitled should be collected. The
revenue of Aiqa itself is probably not very large, but it is the
port of a considerable area in the interior, and every penny is of
value now to the State. Failure to establish customs control
at Aiqa would result in a loosening of the customs control at
Sur, the effect of which would be serious.
^ Further, it has been the policy of His Majesty^
Government to support the authority of the Muscat State on the
coast, though not inland, and it seems to me that it is a very
wise policy. A sufficiently effective control can be maintained
over the tribes in the hinterland from the coast, as was shown
* W th. or u» ^oh •rroetlToljr j
their rising in 1920 said His Majesty’s Government also supported
the authority of the State at Khassab in 1930 by active
intervention. On the maintenance of its authority on the coast
depends the stability, political and financial, of the State, and
if once tribesmen in the interior can flout the authority of the
State in these ports the situation will be a serious one.
Further^ efforts are now being made to establish an air route
from Muscat to Aden, and it is essential that law and order
should be maintained along the coast.
12. For the above reasons I consider it essential that the
^ authority of the Muscat State should be established at Aiqa, and
if the Government of India see no objection I propose to proceed
to Sur with Saiyid Said during my forthcoming tour, and to send
for Shaikh All and see if it is possible to effect a settlement.
If the Bani Bu Ali still remain entirely iniransigeant then I
think there ia nothing for it but for the Muscat State to take
forex measures against them, and in suoh circumstances thsy
can I think legitimately ask for the support of His Majesty^
Government, having regard to their own very limited resources.
The ••••