"الإصلاحات في مسقط: الجمارك؛ الموارد المالية، والمفاوضات مع العُـمانيين" [و‎‎١‎٨‎٧] (٥٠٨/٣٧٨)

Telegram P.
Prom Political Muscat
To Political Baghdad repeated Delhi and Bushire.
Dated 87 /3 /30. % ~ r J
/
I have ha I a lon^ interview with Sheikh Said "bin Naslr who
arrived last ni^ht and he also brought a latter from Sheikh
Isa. Sheikh Isa states in his letter that he collected his
Bhelkhe, brought them before the Imam and asked from tne
lat + Br agreement under the mediation of the British Government
and the return of the gardens, Owin^ to religious objections
the Imam refused this request. Sheikh Isa aids that he hffss
that the prisiners will be returned and that Government will
continue to be friendly.
My interview with Sheikh Said brought out the fact
that first the powerful influence of the Mullahs and secondly
over confidence and bad management on the part of Sheikh Isa
were the two causes which brought about the present deadlock.
That the greater part of the country and shaikhs were anxious
for agreement he was sure but they were helpless against the
influence of the mullahs owin^ to ignorance. He himself coald
io nothing and he dii n it see how anything could ever be done
My reply was that Isa had assured government that he was the
accredited representative of the Imam. By what he had done he
iiad oroken all his promises. Government could not possibly
treat with such an untrustworthy man any lon 0 er. I should not
therefore answer the letter. Then I added that government
hal exercised their ^ood offices throughout on behalf of the
Oraanis but as they had now refused to accept our mediation
which they themselves had originally asked I could not but
suppose that Government would not accept responsibility in
t^e case of any subsequent consequences on tne Omanis and
w ould be inliffeDent in the future as to their well-fare.
The effect of this was considerable and he asked
me to £rant him time as he said he would at once write to