"تقارير إدارية ١٩٢٠-١٩٢٤" [ظ‎‎١‎٦‎٦] (٤١٢/٣٣٧)

2
Oil. —Tlie experimental operations of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company at
Mishnn (" Bikarz area ") and on Kishm Island continued throughout the year.
The prospect of these fields—and especially Kishm—giving a satisfactory return
is apparently waning.
II.—East and Central Arabia.
Muscat. —The financial situation of the State of Muscat and Oman has
rnarkedlv imoroverl. The mere announcement that Mr. Bower, of the Indian
Imperial Customs Department, was coming to. Muscat in December 1924 to over
haul the Customs Department and inaugurate reforms seems to have stimulated
the collection of duties in a marked degree. It is hoped that the appointment
of Captain Thomas, O.B.K., to the Ministry of Finance in April 1925 will still
further benefit the State.
His Hisrhness the Sultan spent only sixteen weeks at Muscat during the year.
It is regrettable that he dislikes his Capital and his official duties so much ; more
especially as his most powerful brother, Saiyid Nadir, who presides over the
State Council, is unreliable, an intriguer, venal and tyranrical. The Sultan's
elder son, Saiyid Said, is a bright boy, who is earning good opinions from every
one when he returns home oni vacaton from Ajmer.
The State's relations with the tribes of Oman continue to be unsatisfactory.
A particularly unfortunate incident occurred in June, when the Bani Battash
ambushed a detachment of Muscat Infantry three miles inland of Quryat and
drove it back to the coast. For this ill-conceived expedition Saiyid Nadir was
solely responsible.
Trucial Oman. —The only event of importance has been the deposition in
November of the Shaikh of Shargah, Khalid bin Ahmad, by his kinsman Sultan
bin Saqar, eldest son of the chief who died in 1914 and son-in-law of Abdur
Rahman bin Muhammad, Headman of Haira, who assisted in the coup d'etat.
The new Shaikh was born in 1903. He seems at present to look very much to
the Residency Agent for advice and guidance.
The Shaikh of Dibai T s treatment of his Bunniahs is not sympathetic. He
does not welcome the increase in their numbers, which is the natural result of
his town being made the steamers' port of call for the " Pirate Coast ". Nor
does he seem to realize the other benefits Dibai receives from being constituted
a ii maritime port ". The Agents of the British India Steam Navigation
Company may still possibly elect to substitute Shargah for Dibai, if Shaikh
Said biii Maktum's Cargo-landing arrangements are not improved.
The Shaikh of Abu Dhabi, who murdered his brother and predecessor in
August 1922, is not giving satisfaction in his treatment of traders' claims. He
spends most of his time in petty warfare against the Bedouin living in and
about the Baraimi oasis, where the Shaikh's power seems to be diminishing.
Qatar. —Shaikh Abdallah bin Jasim bin Thani had an easier time than in
1923. This was due partly to Ibn Saud's pre-occupations elsewhere and partly
to the fact that His Majesty's Government had firmly reminded the Sultan of
Nejd of his undertaking to leave Qatar alone. Shaikh Khalifa bin Jasim
continues to be a thorn in his brother's side.
The Chief's relations with this Residency were as cordial as ever.
Bahrain. —The year has been one of great progress in the Bahrain
Islands.
The Budget Estimates for the Arabic year commencing 1st Muharram 1343
(3rd August 1924), which showed an opening balance of Rs. 370,000, anticipate
an expenditure of Rs. 1,276,690 and a closing balance of Rs. 246,310.
Reforms have been introduced in the Customs Department, to the charge
of which an Englishman was appointed in January 1924 ; in the Defence Forces
by the creation of a State Levy Corps, commanded by an officer of the Indian
Army, and the reorganization of the Police ; and in the Pearling Industry, by
the inauguration of a new system of ^ Divers accounts ' T . The Municipality
of Manama have much improved the- condition of the town, widening thorough
fares and constructing a masonry sea-front.
At the commencement of the year, in the absence of Shaikh Hamad on his
annual hawking expedition to Lingah, a murderous assault of the type, which
had become common in Bahrain but which it may be hoped is to be the last one,
was perpetrated by Arabs, led by members of the A1 Khalifa family, on certain
SShiali villagers of Sitra, several of whom were killed and wounded^