‘Administration report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muscat Political Agency for 1887-88.’ [‎12r] (21/72)

RESIDENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. FOR 1887-88.
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Pabt ii.-administration report of the muscat poli
tical agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. for the year 1887-88.
Political. —The official year now under report commenced with an unusually quiet condi
tion of the province of ^Oman, and with the exception of an attack made by Zaeed bin Khaleefah
on a section of the Dhowahir tribe at Bereymi for attempting to throw off their allegiance
to him, nothing of any political importance occurred until the beginning of June.
The Sultan, to prevent the Beni-Yas from being established in power at Bereymi, sent
the Dhowahir assistance in the shape of money and ammunition, but unfortunately the " Dar-
as-Salam " which carried it, arrived too late at Sohar to thwart Zaeed in his object, and he suc
ceeded in carrying off two of the Dhowahir Shaikhs as prisoners to Abu Dhabbi.
In the early part of June Shaikh Suleiman-bin-Seif, with the assistance of the Nizari
Arabs of Ziki, and principally through the treachery of one of the garrison, seized the fort
at Birket -al-Moze, drove out the Wali Saeed-bin-Sultan at Ameyri, and, taking advantage of
his unopposed position, proceeded immediately to Ziki. On the news of the fall of Birket-al-
Moze reaching Muscat, the Sultan had three Nizar Shaikhs, who happened to be here at the
time seized and thrown into prison, and anticipating Suleiman^s advance on Ziki sent rein -
forcements and provisions for the garrison there, under Seyyid Hamud-bin-Nasir, but Shaikh
Suleiman had taken the precaution of garrisoning the principal places on the road, so as to
prevent the much-needed help from reaching Ziki, and Seyyid Hamud had consequently to
fall back upon Somail. Notwithstanding these marked acts of disloyalty Suleiman-bin-Seif
excused himself to His Highness the Sultan by pleading the oppression of the Wali against
the widow and sons of Seyyid Muhammad-bin-Hilal, as a plea for his capture of Birket-al-
Moze, and His Highnesses action in imprisoning the three Nizar Shaikhs as his plea for advanc
ing on Ziki.
While affairs were progressing in this unfavourable manner in 'Oman proper the dis
affected tribes of the Sharkiyah, as usual under the leadership of the Arab rebel, Shaikh Saleh-
bin-Ali, were trying to form a general coalition of all the Hinawee tribes, and now, en
couraged by the success which Shaikh Suleiman had met with. Shaikh Saleh, not only opened
an intriguing correspondence with that Chief, but actually had an interview with him with the
object of gaining him over to the general Hinawee cause. The plan of action, had it suc
ceeded, was evidently to aim a blow at the Sultan's authority in several places at the same
time, and to harass him and weaken his power, so as to enable the rebels, among whom Seyyid
Abdul Aziz, the Sultan's brother, was one, to dictate their own terms.
As a prelude to this general plan, Seyyid Ibrahim bin Kais took by surprise the town
and fort of Soweik on the Batineh coast on the night of the 1st of July, and was threatening
to take the town of Mesnah, when the Sultan, fearing that the force he had sent with his three
sons and Seyyid Bedr-bin-Seif, would not be sufficient to arrest his progress and to oust him
from his position, and having therefore requested the help of a British man-of-war, the Resi
dent arrived from Bushire on the 9th with orders of Government to afford Seyyid Turki's
force the required support, if necessary, and, proceeding to Soweik, demanded on the following
day the unconditional surrender of the place from Seyyid Ibrahim.
Seyyid Ibrahim, who was at first not aware that the Sultan would be granted this assist
ance, now finding his position awkward, although expressing his readiness to abide by the
wishes of the British Government, begged hard to be allowed to retain Soweik if only to
avoid the disgrace consequent on such an easy and unconditional surrender, but, seeing that
the Resident was prepared to support the Sultan actively in recovering the place, promised to
evacuate it and to retire peacefully, the Resident in return for his friendly assent agreeing to
request Seyyid Turki, conditional on his maintaining a friendly attitude towards the Sultan,
to restore his subsidy, which had been stopped some months ago for several acts of disloyalty.
His Highness the Sultan, being grateful for the Resident's action, expressed his willingness
to restore Seyyid Ibrahim's subsidy, and the Resident returned to Soweik on the I2th, when
the place was handed over to the Sultan's garrison at night, the Resident proceeding imme
diately afterwards to Bushire.
This demonstration of our policy had the desired effect, for soon afterwards news was
received that the scheme for a general Hinawee rising had failed, but Shaikh Saleh, now dis
comfited by his failure in this direction, turned his side altogether and wrote to Muhamraad-
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