"الملف 35/64 III المعادن في عُمان. أبحاث علماء جيولوجيا مدرساي" [ظ‎‎٤‎٠] (٢٧٦/٨٩)

'B
4
No. 216, dated Bushive, the 6th: December 1901 (Confidential).
From— Lieutenant-Colonel C. A. |£emball , Officiating Political Resident in the
To-
Persian Gulf,
-The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department.
In continuation of the correspondence ending with Poreign Department
letter No. 1579-E. A., dated the 12th September 1901, I have the honour to
forward, for the information of tta
* Camp No. 5, dated the 21st November 1901. i. £ t j' e i
^ Government ot India, copy of a letter *
from the Political Agent, Maskat, reporting the conclusion of Dr. Oldham's
geological investigation of the coal exposures in the vicinity of Sur.
No, 5, dated Sur, the 21st November 1901.
From— Captain P. Z. Cox, His Britannic Majesty's Consul and Political Agent,
Maskat,
>
To— Lieutenant-Colonel C. A. Kemball , Officiating Political Kesident in the
Persian Gulf,
5£
I have the honour to report that Dr. Oldham has concluded his geological
examination of the coal exposures in this district, and is leaving to-day for
Maskat and India in H. M. S. Perseus.
Captain Dowding, of the Intelligence Branch, and I, remain here for the
present pending receipt of replies from the fehaikhs of the Beni Ahu Ali regard
ing a visit to their tribe in Jailan and passage thence to Maskat by land. His
Highness the Sultan also remains heref for the present, superintending the
building operations which are going on in connection with the improvement
of his arrangements for the realization of his revenue at Sur.
(2) I have asked the Senior Naval Officer in these waters to be good
enough to send H. M. S. Ferseus or H. Mf S. Assaye back to Sur after the
arrival of the Bombay mail steamer on 27th instant, either to convey us back
to Maskat, or, in case we left in the meanwhile for the interior, to communi
cate with the Sultan regarding his return to Maskat, should he then be ready
to leave Sur.
(3) Without prejudice to the full report which Dr. Oldham will subse
quently submit, I understand from him that his inspection of the exposures of
coal leads him to the conclusion that the seams existing are rather of the
nature of " pockets " and that whereas some 200,000 tons are probably available,
the general prospects is not sufficiently good to warrant the inception of mining
operations.
(4) The Beni Abu Hassan and Musharifeh have been perfectly well
disposed to us throughout, and the expedition has experienced no practical
difficulties. I learn on return here to the Coast that Aysa-bin-Saleh has been
writing letters to his partisans in Sur, endeavouring to stir them up against
the Sultan's building operations, and expressing (to the Sultan) his intention
of proceeding to the coal district to stop our work, but owing to the Sultan's
satisfactory arrangements with the Beni Abu Hassan and the support of our
men-of-war, his threats have fallen flat.
Received with letter from Secretary, Political and Secret Departments JSo. 1,
dated the 3rd January 1202,
Extract from La D^peche Coloniale, 14tli Decemler 1901.
LES INTJERfiTS FRANQAIS EN ARABIE.
Nous recevons la lettre euivante, dat^e d'un port de PInde anglaise que nous sommes pries de
ne pas indiquer
Monsieur le directeur de la Dfipfiosi: Coloniale,
Votre journal est a peu pr&s le seul en Prance qui s'occupe des evenements
qui se passent dans les regions voisines du golfe Persique : je peux meme dire