File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎132v] (262/450)

The Viceroy visited Maskat in the following month and took the opportunity of
recommending the Sultan to come to terms with his rebellious subjects, pointing out
that the British garrison would not be maintained indefinitely. He offered the services
of 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. as mediator. The latter summed up the difficulties of the
situation in the following terms :—- ^
T The rebels held the key of the situation in the possession of Samail valley and
fort, which were essential to the commercial prosperity of Maskat.
2. The rising had assumed a religious character, and the Imam was preaching a
Jihad. Moreover, so many of the rebels had been killed by our troops in the
unsuccessful attack m January that feelings of resentment had been aroused which it
would be difficult to allay.
3. The offer of tribal allowances was not likely to prove a strong inducement The
Imam might be prevented by religious scruples from accepting an allowance, and the
Afol Skt WsTfhe interior. 00 ” 68 ^ ^ ^ the
snmf't reductlon °/ the garrison to normal strength would leave the Sultan without
within i few\fuJAll of Ma’slaf^ 8 * 7 ’ 8 ^ n0t ’ “ ^ time ’
hv tlPf» rtS Wer8 ’ h0WeVe J > rec ? ived from the interio '- that the rebels were discouraged
by the January reverse and anxious to come to terms, the Sultan was glad to accept
to thlThV m f d ! a f on of tK ® 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. , and m April the latter despatched letters
Sal h Vnd V ^ W erS ’ th t Pr- SaKm ibn Rashid al Khasu «. Shaykh Isa ibn
leiwrl,d oErL H to n ? yar ’W 311 ’ a3k ‘ n ? them t0 state frankly thefr views and
teoimgs, and offering to try and find a modus vivendi.
priests thatThtseTb*' 1 ’ 1 * ’ Qe mus * con ? ult his People, who were in the hands of their
p ie & ts , that these latter were scattered over the country from Sharoivah to NiVwa
^r.-rrrf w
epiesentation should be sent to discuss the question. Shaykh Isa did not renlv until
& wh ?“ a lett y> “fther signed nor sailed, was received frlrn trthrough the
Imam. It was friendly m tone, and showed a desire to open neo-otiati™! He
mentioned that he was sending an envoy, Abdullah ibn Hamad, to see the Sultan’
Ge^anf we” ^
’ embrac-d Islam anr] +! vlct °nons, that the Jtmperor and his followers had
English out of tCountry ^ pr0 P iti0U3 for dl ' ivi -‘g th « Multan and the
that \L S VhgiL\ h hement J wL ar mmILd f + SI,aykh Isa ’f le tter, the Sultan was convinced
Nasir ibn Sulaimau Shvabi of SaJaTItbld mtero ?l rted le tter, written by
accept Shaykh Isa’s advice but thnt H 'd the Imam and Shaykh Hamyar would
surrender, Ld would fiTt to tl An f + + , W0UM neVer C0,1Sent to make °P«n
Maskat where there was no MohammedaXwOT jultice^ 6 ^ ° f in
Ma’aX 0 I'litedTeXoHSuWeXwkh tteV H "“. aid ibn . Sai yU al Fulaiti of Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows.
to the terms of the negotiation. ° He is'a m v 03 ‘lP Cl °M ai ning further information as
has trade interests in Socotra knows the A ^ ° f, 0111 ? mte ^ , g ence an d instruction, he
them as an intermediary t a ^ and ,\- been employed by
probably those of the rebel leaders, as follows ^ eXpressed hls Vlews 5 whl ch were
what we expected to gain? 016 WCOmed Briblsp intervention but were anxious to know
to please theXilglish.^ re * 1Iy aUXI ° US for a reconciliation, but was moved by a wish
l ^elce 1 could* Xy^°be'agreecf to folio wing ^terms A re ^ arded as a b -etic.
K a.) F tr?If"XjuXl a y stm a f P rr" ed Imam ’ hl a nbstitution
There wk to be T fZX f" 1 ' 11 ? W ‘ th ° iviI and «iminal cases,
palace. favountism towards people connected with the
(6.) Eemoval of British troops and of the land hii r ■
interior. ^ anci blockade of imports into the