‘Administration report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muscat Political Agency for 1887-88.’ [‎15r] (27/72)

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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was the favourable answer to his constant appeals to the French Government for aid against
the English which the misguided Tippu had been for so many years expecting. But it was
too late, Tippu was now at the end of his career, and, as it happened, the despatches never even
reached Muscat, for they were intercepted on the way by an English man-of-war.
Dated Cairo, the 25th January 1799.
To— T he I maxtm of M uscat.
I write you this letter to inform you of the arrival of the French army in Egypt. As
you have always been friendly, you must be convinced of our desire to protect all the merchant
vessels you may send to Suez.
I also beg you will forward the enclosed letter to Tippu Sahib by the first opportunity.
(Sd.) BONAPARTE.
The alarm felt by the Indian Government at the undoubted influence of the French in
'Oman, the dread lest it should extend over the Gulf, and the apprehehsions everywhere inspired
by Napoleon Bonaparte's military genius and restless activity, led the Governor-General of
India, the Marquis of Wellesley, to instruct the Resident at Bushire, Mirza Mehdi Ali Khan, to
enter into a political engagement with Seyyid Sultan, having for its object the exclusion of
French influence from 'Oman territory.
Mirza Mehdi reached Muscat in September 1798, and the Treaty which he negotiated
was signed on the 12th October following. It comprised seven articles and contained, besides
the engagement to exclude Frenchmen from the Imam's territory and French ships from his
ports during the prevalence of war between English and French, provision for the establish
ment by the East India Company of a factory An East India Company trading post. at Bunder Abbass with a guard of 700 or 800
Indian troops. Though it was not mentioned in the Treaty, Seyyid Sultan further made a
special request that an English officer should be sent to reside at Muscat on behalf of the Com
pany as his adviser.
Seyyid Sultan was thus the first Prince in the peninsula of Arabia to enter into political
relations with England, and it is satisfactory to note that the friendly relations then initiated
have from that day to this continued to strengthen and increase.
During the year 1799 Seyyid Sultan was engaged in consolidating his power in 'Oman
and in dealing with internal dissensions. Among the tribes that were disaffected to
wards him were the Daroo of El Sharkujeh and the Beni Naim of El Dhahrieh, both of
which he succeeded in subduing and bringing back to allegiance. Having at length tranquil-
lised his own country, he was able to turn his attention to foreign enemies, and, first of all, he
resolved to concentrate his strength against the Uttoobees of El Bahrein, who had refused to
pay any longer the tax levied upon all vessels passing from India to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . This
tax had for one and a half centuries been paid to Muscat by all craft, foreign as well as home,
sailing through the Straits of Mussendom, and as the revenue it used to bring in was consider
able, Seyyid Sultan was not inclined to allow the refusal of the Uttoobees to pay the impost to
pass without chastisement.
He accordingly sailed in the Gunjawa frigate, with three square-rigged ships and sixty
bughlas, to attack El Bahrein, and in a sea-fight that took place shortly after captured three
of the Uttoobee vessels. In the meantime the Uttoobees, being aware of their inability to
resist the naval power of 'Oman, had hastened to place themselves under the protection of
Persia by paying the Shah the tribute for El Bahrein for the preceding year.
Seyyid Sultan heard of this action on the part of the Uttoobees at the time when he was
preparing to land his troops on that island, and he lost no time in entering into negociations
with Persia himself. Being foiled in his attempt on El Bahrein, he occupied the island of
Karrack, which he offered to farm from Persia at a yearly rental and pay five years in advance.
This offer, however, was declined by the Persians, who continued to take the part of the
Uttoobees, and Seyyid Sultan eventually relinquished further operations against the tribe on
payment by them of a portion of the arrears of tax due. The failure of this expedition appears
to have caused the abandonment of the tax, which we do not afterwards hear of.
Not long after the conclusion of the Treaty by Mirza Mehdi in 1798, reports reached the
Government of India to the effect that, notwithstanding his engagements, Seyyid Sultan had
resumed friendly intercourse with the French, and the interception of General Bonaparte's
D