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'File 35/134 IV (A 56) Sur. Ja'alan - Amirs of.' [‎138r] (303/536)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (253 folios). It was created in 22 Dec 1931-18 Mar 1932. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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to "be
*opy of Circular let-cer^ik.sued by His Highness the
ijultcai oi ^ uscat and Cnan to the aadress of various
or
Shaiidas on^about the i5th February ^932.
As you are aware there has of late been trouble between
the 3ani Bu Ali and ourselves. The cause has been the
completely unjustifiaole interference of the Shaiich of Bani
.ju Ali» o-^ai-rch Axi al Haiaudah, in the affairs of our jort of
o-ir wixei e he has reiused to allow our CustoiJis ^ost to be ^ a ^
placed in o.^e j^ort of our which is known as Aitia, or to
alJ-ow z±ie inhabitants of Aiqa to ^ay Customs daes or to
register taieir dhows. In coi^any with uie Hon^ble the
i^^iuical resident v^e saw S-iiaiich Ali at Sur a^out Z months
ana xe^uested him to cease his interference in Ai^a.-
he refused* Because we desire peace -.e exercised patience
with him and endeavoured to persuade him to give u^ his
rebellious attitude. Again he refused. Nevertheless
v.c Suill exercised patience ^id offered him very literal
l
terms so that he would in no way be the loser by the
estau-Lishment oi our Customs control over Aiqa. He persisted
in his refusal.
Kiaving done all that v^as possible peacefully, we informed
uhai^h Ali that we would ta^e no steps against him during
the sacred r onth of Ramazan, but that on its conclusion e
Ww^ld take 4 *0 oicn to enforce our deL.anc .8. the same time
«"»c iiii ormed bi-aiich Ali> as we had been authorised to do by
the Kon»ble the Political Kesicent, that in making these
demands we had the support of the British Government.
Ix ohai-sch Ali aces not accent our terms before the time
ox action arrives, and harm should come to him and his
people because of his disobedience, you .-ill understand that
we are not responsible. He, Shaiich Ali, will have brought
v .
his punishment on his own head.

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Content

Correspondence relating to actions against the Bani Bu Ali [Banī Bū ‘Alī] in Sur in 1932 who were claiming independence from the Muscat State. Correspondence discusses how the Bani Bu Ali led by Shaikh Ali bin Abdullah al-Hammuda [Muḥammed bin Nāṣir al-Ḥamūdah] were rebelling against the Sultan of Muscat's authority and in particular the creation of a customs post in Aiqa. Shaikh Ali had deployed armed forces to Aiqa fort and prevented the establishment of the customs post. The timing for deployment of aircraft from Iraq including Wapitis and flying boats is discussed and in particular the implications of reconnaissance flights during Ramadan. One Wapiti crashed 40 miles south of Muscat but the occupants were unhurt and safely rescued. Saiyid Said bin Taimur [Sa‘īd bin Taymūr] visited Sur in a sloop along with HMS Emerald . Correspondence details the agreement of the Foreign Office, Air Ministry and India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. in London to the use of aircraft. A letter from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty concurs in the action whilst expressing concern over the use of aircraft and the repercussions this could have on relations with Arab rulers, and suggests only use of naval bombardment. The Air Ministry responded noting the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. 's view that 'action by warship alone would be entirely ineffective; past history has shewn this.' The India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. notes that the action proposed by the Government of India were based on discussions with the Senior Naval Officer Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and Air Officer Commanding, Iraq; furthermore, 'aerial demonstration will precede punitive air action.'

The Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Muscat discusses the relations between the Bani Bu Ali ,[Banī Bū ‘Alī] Bani Bu Hassan [Bani Bū ‘Hasan] and Bani Amer; also the likely response of the Bani Bu Ali to any British attack and the need to take precautions to avoid the experience of a British Indian force in 1821. In 1821 a force was dispatched to avenge the defeat there of a different expedition the previous year but three hundred of the Bani Bu Ali attacked at night resulting 16 killed. Correspondence discusses the negotiations with Shaikh Ali bin Abdullah bin Abdullah bin Hammuda

Correspondence between the Air Officer Commanding, Edgar Rainey Ludlow-Hewitt and Colonel Hugh Vincent Biscoe, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. , Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. discusses the reconnaissance photos and the bombing of the Jaalan [Ja’alān] fort following the dropping from aircraft of warning messages. There are also extracts from a report by Group Captain W L Welsh on reconnaisance by two Rangoons and three Wapitis of the Sur area with arrangements for the deployment of flying boats to conduct bombing missions and their protection by the Muscat Infantry.

Correspondence includes letters betweeen Saiyid Said bin Taimur, Sultan of Muscat and Oman, to Shaikh Ali bin Abdullah and Hugh Vincent Biscoe, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Following aerial demonstrations by Rangoon flying boats Shaikh Ali accepted the customs post and agreed to meet the Sultan on board the Sultan's vessel. The Senior Naval Officer Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. wrote to Shaikh Ali informing him that as he had accepted the customs post the bombardment would not take place.

Includes aerial photos (ff 128D-128P) of Jaalan and Khor Janaba which were made in preparation for a possible punitive bombing raid. Also includes a sketch map of Khor Janaba and an enclosure with a 'Sheikhly family of Bani Bu Ali.

Correspondents include H.V. Biscoe, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; Trenchard Craven Fowle, Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. Muscat; Edgar Rainey Ludlow-Hewitt, Air Headquarters, Iraq Command, Hinaidi; Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; Eion Pelly Donaldson, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , London; Christopher Llewellyn Bulloch, Air Ministry, London; No. 203 (Flying Boat) Squadron; Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty; Saiyid Said bin Taimur, Sultan of Muscat and Oman; Shaikh Ali bin Abdullah bin Hammudah; Foreign Secretary to the Government of India, Simla.

Extent and format
1 volume (253 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged chronologically from the front to the rear of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation system in use is the sequence of numbers in the top right hand corner of each folio including the covers.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'File 35/134 IV (A 56) Sur. Ja'alan - Amirs of.' [‎138r] (303/536), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/444, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023998667.0x000069> [accessed 10 June 2026]

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