File 2297/1919 ‘Persian Gulf Residency Monthly Reports. 1912-20.’ [‎177v] (359/1044)

Q,
4
ARABIA.
Masqat.
The Imam is reported to have requested Nasir bin Hameid not to make peace
with His Highness the Sultan stating that the latter has allowed British forces to
land in Masqat and stopped arms trade.
His Excellency the Naval Commander-in-Chief, accompanied by the Political
Agent and the Flag Captain, paid a formal visit to His Highness the Sultan at 10
a.m. on the 5th.
Rainfall .—Abnormally heavy rain fell, just under 4 inches being recorded in the
first half of the month. This has damaged a lot of the houses, the clerks' quarters,
which were already in bad condition, are now dangerous and will require considerable
repair.
Trucial Oman A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. .
Local pearl merchants have received news from Bombay that the pearl market
is reviving, consequently one Ali bin Ibrahim Zayyani of Bahrain, broker Often a local commercial agent in the Gulf who regularly performed duties of intelligence gathering and political representation. to
the French firm Rozenthal Freres who visits Bahrain every year to buy pearls,
lately visited Dibai and Shargah and bought all the pearls remaining with some of
the merchants at high price. The said Ali has arranged with the merchants of Dibai
and of other places that they should gather as many pearls as they can after the
pearl fishing season, so that either Habib (representative of Rozenthal Freres) or some
one from him might come to Dibai as soon as the season is over, bring money with him
and buy the pearls at a high price in cash. Apparently the merchants have approved
of this arrangement because, in the first place, they sell their goods before
themselves and in their own towns ; and, in second, they are saved the risk of
sending them to Bombay; thirdly, they do not pay any one per cent, brokerage to
their agents in Bombay; and fourthly, they are saved the risk of their money from
Bombay and the expenses they have to incur such as remittance fees, etc.
Bahrain.
The construction of the wireless buildings has now been completed and the
Supervisor, Mr. Muhammad Shafi, left for Bushire on the 12th. For several nights
shots have been fired on the premises of the wireless buildings. The matter has
been brought to the notice of Shaikh Isa.
Kuwait.
Shaikh Jabir is collecting men with a view to sending an expedition under the
command of Shaikh Salim to guard the approaches to Kuwait from attacks by the
Ajman, etc.
Mr. J. McCracken of the Survey Department arrived on the 21st and left for
the interior on the 28th with an escort of 6 camel sowars. He wrote from Jahara
on the 30th March that owing to the unsafety of the roads he has changed his
original route and was now travelling via Mdaira, Sabiya and Bahara. He expects
to reach Um-Qasr on or about the 5th April.
A terrific gale accompanied by rain came on from the westerly direction about
2-30 p. m. on the 6th and lasted for about an hour. The force of the wind was so
great that almost all the sailing boats in the harbour were thrown on to the beach.
One inch and 43 cents rain fell within an hour or so and many houses, said to be
more than 100 in number, are stated to have collapsed on that and on the following
day. Happily there has been little loss of life.
Bushire ;
The 6th May 1916.
A. P. TREVOR, Major,
Deputy 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. ,
0. M. Frees, Simla,—Nc. C94F.D—17-5-16,- 23-M.D., etc.