"مجلد D.16 (ملف 61/4) ابن سعود - اعتزام أمير نجد زيارة ساحل القرصان وعمان في سنة ١٩٠٥" [و‎‎٣‎٦] (١١٨/٧٣)

V
No. 7 of 1906.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.
FOREIGN DEPARTMENT.
SECRET.
External.
To
The Right Hon'ble JOHN MORLEY, O.M.,
His Majesty's Secretary of State for India,
Fort William, the 11th January 1906.
Sir,
We have the honour to forward, for your information, a copy of the
correspondence detailed in the annexed list, regarding a proposed visit of Abdul
Aziz-bin-Abdul Rahman-bin-Saood to the Pirate Coast and Oman, and to invite
• Pro. No. 218 in Secret K, June 1904, No«. 207- a reference to the correspondence ending
218. with Mr. Brodrick's Secret despatch* No.
24, dated the 29th April 1904, on the subject of our relations with the Wahabi
dynasty.
It will be seen that Abdul-bin-Saood, who has been staying in El Katr,.
has addressed letters to the Trucial Chiefs, expressing his intention of visiting
their territories in the spring; and that the Chief of Abu Dhabi has conferred
personally on the subject with the Sultan of Maskat, who is much agitated at the
idea that the Amir of Nejd may possibly visit Oman. His Highness considers
that, should Abdul Aziz make his appearance anywhere on the shores of Oman,
it would be the signal for all the Ghaferi tribes to rise against him.
2. Reports from our local officers in the Persian Gulf seem to point to
the recent reassertion by the Wahabi dynasty of its former position in Nejd
acquiring a permanent character. The cessation of hostilities in Nejd has
left Bin Saud free to expand in other directions; and the visit of Sheikh
Zaid of Abu Dhabi to Maskat shows that the situation is actually the cause of
some anxiety to the Trucial Chiefs, of whom the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi is the most
important. We, therefore, consider it very necessary that a course of action should
be concerted at an early date, so that we may be prepared for developments. On
being apprised of Ibn Saood's intention to visit the Pirate Coast and Oman in the
t See letter No. 4441 E.-B., dated the 5th Decern- ensuing Spring, wo directedf Major cox to
ber 1905. ascertain the facts from Sheikh Mubarak
of Koweit. We desire, however, to point out how very serious to our prestige
and influence the consequences might be, if Ibn Saood should attack the Pirate
Coast Chiefs or the Sultan of Maskat, or succeed in extending his influence
over them, and how important it is that we should prevent, as far as lies
in our power, such a contingency, especially now that the Wahabi Amir has
recognised the suzerainty of the Sultan.
3. In our Secret despatch No. 69 (External), dated the 24th March 1904,{
t Pro. No. 215 in Secret e.. june 1904, Nos. 207- we contemplated the possibility of having
218. to revive the treaty relations w T hich
existed with the Wahabi Amirs, in case Ibn Saood should succeed in establishing
and extending his ascendancy. Now that the latter has come into power, and has
given out that it is his intention to extend his influence towards Oman and the
coast generally, it seems to us desirable to ascertain whether he is prepared to