"تقارير إدارية ١٩٢٠-١٩٢٤" [و‎‎١‎٩‎٤] (٤١٢/٣٩٢)

57
R. I. M. S. " Elphinstone on 15tli September, 22nd October and 4th
Dec^nber,
G. I. T. S. 11 Patrick Stewart on 22nd February and 23rd March.
Missionary Enterprise. —Dr. (Miss) S. Hosmon and Miss F. Lntton of the
American Mission have been the only members of the mission in Muscat during
the year leaving as usual for the summer recess. They talk of removing the
mission to Mattrah as Muscat is now at a low ebb as regards population.
Dr. Hosman paid professional visits at Sib in March and at Sohar in
December.
Climate and Weather. —Total rainfall during the year was 1.04 inches con
sequently the supply of drinking water in Muscat is becoming scarce and
brackish. Diminution of rainfall during the last 7 years has been most marked.
The summer was most trying and more severe than for many years past,
C. Gr. CEOSTHWAITE, Lieut-Colonel,
Political Agent and H. B. M.'s Consul, Muscat*
CHAPTER X.
ADMINISTRATION REPORT ON THE TRUCIAL COAST OF OMAN FOR
THE YEAR 1924.
Personnel. —Khan Bahadur (so created on the King's Birthday) Isa bin
Abdnl Latif was Residency Agent throughout the year.
Slave Trade. —Ten slaves^, mostly negroes, were manumitted from this Coast
during the year. The traffic in Baluchis, generally women and children, has not
been entirely suppressed.
These form the most convenient commodity which Mekrani gun-runners are
able to give in payment for their imports !
The Arms Traffic, however, is also dying out.
The Residency Agent is endeavouring to recover a number of kidnapped-
children whose relatives profess to have traced them to various towns.
Shargak. —The behaviour of Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmad was generally un
satisfactory towards his townspeople. A rising occurred in November, assisted
from outside by the H-eadmen of Haira and the Beni Katab Bedouins. After
fojir days' hostilities during which eight persons were killed or wounded a truce
was called. In the negotiations which followed, and at which the Shaikhs of
Dibai and Ras-al-Khaimah and the Residency Agent assisted, Shaikh Khalid
abdicated in favour of his young cousin. Sultan bin Saqar, w T ho was acclaimed
as the rightful heir. It is now said that when Saqar bin Khalid died in 1914
he only appointed Khalid bin Ahmad to be regent during the minority of his
son Sultan, and that Khalid has proved himself a disloyal guardian.
II. M. S. " Cyclamen " arrived off Shargah as soon as possible after news
of the rising reached Hen jam. She remained there until the settlement was
reached and the agreement signed.
The persons and property of British subjects suffered no injury.
Shaikh Khalid had very thoroughly alienated from himself all sympathies
of this Residency by his mismanagement and apathy in regard to the burglary
of a Haiderabadi's shop, which occurred in March and was believed to have
been perpetrated by his men:
It remains .to be seen whether he will quietly settle down in some out
lying village of the State, which he will be permitted to govern, or whether
he prefers the role of stormy petrel, troubling all his erstwhile sovereign brothers.
During the year, Messrs. F. C. Strick & Co., in accordance with their agree
ment with the Shaikh of Shargah, shipped 20 tons of red oxide, which had
previously been mined and left by Messrs. R. "Wonckhaus & Co., from Abu Musa
Island as a sample to England. They did no mining themselves during the
year, although their representative, Mr. Habakkuk, spent some weeks on the
Island.
Dibai. —A terrible epidemic of plague which commenced in December 1923
and ended in Ajml 1924 is believed to have started at this place and to have
carried off several thousand victims. Dibai ton and the neighbouring villages—
also Shargah were deserted by every one who could get away.
The Residency Agent went to Ras-al-Khaima. Numerous fugitives carried
the diasease disastrously to Kishm Island and a few cases appeared in Lingah.