'Muscat Rising, from April 1917 to January 1918 & resumed from April 1920 to Oct 1920' [‎20r] (48/558)

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for rulera living permanently in the enervating climate of the
coast where the inhabitants decline in physique and in energy
must in the course of time be overcome bythe tribes of a mere
temperate climate while being practically absentee landlords
they are bound! unless they take stepsto combat it # to lose
touch with the tribesmen who should support them#
This natural course of events then has been
stopped by our intervention owing to our political necessities*
It is not surpri ing that those whom we have thwarted uhoula hai
some feeling against us and fear our ultimate motives in keep*
-ing upon the throne a line of rulers whom they despise the
more so since they have now shown that they can rule themselves
very much better than the weak and pleasant sovereigns whom w®
have supported*
The situation then is this: We have in Oman
to
opposed each other a nominal ruler whose existence depends
almost entirely upon our good-will and a virile but uncivilised
and fanatical Government which we cannot support*
Our problem ii to make these warring elements
coalesce*
It had been determined to leave the solution of
the difficulty till the end of the war but that bio eked for
period appears still far aff and in the meantime the situation
is going from bad to worse*
The Imam has been in possession now for four years
and as time progresses his position gets stronger and defection!
from the Sultan v 8 cause continue till the latter does not know
upon whom he can depend his financial position gets worse and
worse his debts increase and hes not the money with whtih to
purchase the support which he requires*
The subterfuges to which he has to descend to
obtain money for his ordinary household expenses are humiliatin
and the little respect in which he is held is weakened by the
sight of the Sultans cheques being hawked about the basaar
in the hopy# of some one producing some money for him*
British
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