Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎160v] (325/1028)

The passengers are said to have been somewhat disappointed when the latter
did not appear himself but sent his uncle Saiyid Shahab in his place.
9. American South Arabian Mission—The religious work of the
American Mission (The Dutch Reformed Church of the United States of
America) was carried out by the Revd. Mr. and Mrs. Dykstra during the
first half of the year and by the Revd. Mr. and Mrs. Pennings in the second
half.
Dr. Harrison continued in charge of the medical side of the Mission
at their Hospital at Matrah. In April he visited Sur with the permission
of the Sultan and stayed there six weeks treating the sick and carrying out
operations. In June Dr. Harrison at the invitation of H. M. Ibn Saud
nroeeeded to Riadh via Bahrain in order to examine a lady of the Royal
Household.
Miss Hosman, who is the Lady Doctor attached to the Mission, spent
the greater part of the year with the exception of three months recess in
India, on touring the Batineh treating the sick.
During the summer months the entire Mission staff left Muscat as
usual.
Dr.. Storm of the Arabian Mission, who had been staying in Mokalla
during the first half of the year was permitted by the Sultan to proceed to
take up his residence in Dhofar during His Highness’s stay there for the
purpose of carrying out medical work. '
10. Slavery .—27 slaves, comprising 21 males and six females, took
refuge in the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. during the year and were manumitted in due course.
11. Climate .—The total rainfall amounted to 6-39 inches during the
year, whilst the minimum and maximum temperatures registered were 53-5 9
in January and 114T° in June respectively.
; PART II.
1. Ruling Family, (a) His Highness Saiyid Said bin razmwr.—The
Sultan was absent in India at the close of the year 1934 and returned to
Muscat on 6th February. In March he paid a visit in H. M. S. Shoreham
to Khasab and Jazirat-al-Ghanam where he inspected the site of the pro
posed Naval Recreation Station at, Khor Quwari. In April he proceeded
to Gwadur and after a brief trip to Karachi and back left in H. M. S,
Lupin for Sur, where he stayed some six days. While at Sur His Highness
received a farewell visit from the retiring Senior Naval Officer, Persian
Gulf, Captain J. V. Creagh, D.S.O. The presence of the two Warships
at Sur is reported to have had an excellent effect on the unruly inhabitants
of what was formerly a troublesome port and to have resulted in an appre
ciable increase of the Sultan’s authority in that district.
In July His Highness travelled by sea to Sohar wdiere the date cultiva
tors petitioned him to grant a reduction in the rate of Zakat (an excise tax
levied at source on certain produce of the country). The Sultan promised to
reduce the tax but the Director of Revenues who visited the Batineh in
December refused to accept any reduction. Most of the cultivators on their
part, as a protest, refused to pay the Zakat unless it was taken in kind only.
The matter was referred to His Highness whose decision was still awaited
at the end of the year. The Sultan returned to Muscat overland on 11th
August.
He sailed for India on 31st August to undergo an X-ray examination
for some internal trouble which he had apparently developed during his
last visit to the Batineh. He returned to Muscat on 2nd October. The
report of the medical examination wus favourable, nothing serious having
been found.
His Highness proceeded to Dhofar on 12th October by a steamer of the
Moghul Line Steamship Company which was chartered for the voyage. He
was accompanied by some fifty of his followers including Khan Bahadur
Ahmad Shubaili, his Secretary, who had travelled up by the same ship from