"ملف ١٠/XXVIII تقرير عن الأوضاع الحالية في مسقط وتعاملات الولاية مع القبائل التابعة لها اسميًا." [و‎‎٣‎٤] (١١٨/٦٧)

extremist moTement in the Ib&dhi sect. H.H. the Sultan
of Muscat and Oman has been left ^ith Muscat # ^-atrah,
and its vicinity ^hich ^ere defendedby British troops;
with the Batinah coast which is always vulnerable to
British ships; ’*ith Owadur on the } r e)cran coast; with
Sur and Jaalan, the inhabitants of which supported him
in the last rebellion, but ^here his authority is being
challenged at the moment; with Musandum where his sover
eignty over the Shihuh tribe is shadowy; and ^ith Dhofar,
a province which ^e assisted him in recapturing in 1896.
I attach a map shoeing the extent of his
influence and nominal rule exclusive of G^adur and Dhofar.
The revenues of the State consist of a subsidy
from Government, and a 5% import and export tax at such
customs posts where it can be levied. Other revenues are
negligible. The export tax has taken the place of Zakat
on dates and fish which the Muscat authorities are incap
able of collecting on the spot.
It will be seen from the above that the Muscat
Government exists entirely on the support which it is
able to obtain from the British Government. This is the
natural result of our policy in 1913, of defending Muscat
and Mntrah and affording naval assistance on the toast
but maintaining an attitude of non-intervention in the
hinterland.
As regards Oman proper and the Semail valley,
the rule is in the hands of Sheikh Isa bin Saleh and the
Imam, but Sheikh Isa’s position at the moment is to a
certain extent precarious. He has tue sup;ort of the
Hinawi tribes but he has never had much influence over
the Ghafiris and so there is always the possibility of
some fresn claimant to power ousting him with the- support
of this faction.
He has also been looking anxiously towards Ibn
Saud whose agents have since 1925 collected Zakat from