"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٨‎٥‎٢] (١٧٨٢/١٠٠٧)

852
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letters were addressed by the Governor of Bombay to him and to his
opponent^ Shaikh ^Abdullah, deprecating 1 war and sug-gesting' to both
sides that the tribute claimed should be rendered by the 'Utub if it were
of ancient origin and had been regularly paid, and that otherwise the
demand for it should be withdrawn by the J Omani sovereign. In the
spring of 1823, when rumours of a combined attack to be made on
Bahrain by the Persian Government, the ruler of Masqat, and the
Qasimi Shaikh were current, the Government of Bombay addressed
Major Willock, the British representative at Tehran, requesting him
to dissuade the Persians from disturbing the tranquillity of the Gulf;
and in 1825, when, on the death of Shaikh Salman of Bahrain, Saiyid
Sa'id proceeded to champion the claim of his sons to supreme power as
against theii uncle Shaikh Abdullah, a strong personal remonstrance was
addressed to His Highness of Masqat by the Governor of Bombay.
Third and last attack by the Saiyid of Oman upon Bahrain, 1828.
Preparations
at Masqat
and in
Bahrain,
June—
October
1828.
About June 1828 a report became current that Saiyid Sa'iil of
Masqat was collecting ships and men for a fresh attack upon Bahrain ■
but it was immediately contradicted by the Saiyid himself, who even'
sent an envoy with presents and a reassuring letter to tbe 'Atbi Shaikhs
The duplicity of his conduct in this having become apparent, the 'Utub
presently sought the intervention of the British Government; but the
Resident declined to interfere, unless by detaching the Bani Yas whose
junction with the Saiyid might, it was feared, induce the Qawasim to make
common cause with the'Utub. In August Saiyid Sa'id sent a written
declaration of war to Shaikh'Abdullah, bidding him expect his arriva
after the expiration of one month ; and early in September the Masqat
armament composed of a large number of European-bu.lt and native
Tcssels. ^Jed for Qishm, where it arrived on the 17th of the month.
A ter a few days halt at Qishm the fleet crossed tbe Gulf to Abu Dhabi
and was joined by Shaikh Tahnun, whom tbe British Resident had not
been able to restrain from interference, and by a contingent of the
Bam Yas On the 27th of October the Saiyid's fleet was scattered J
sea y a Storm; but it re-assembled, and on the last dav of the month his
ships cast anchor off S.trah Island, near the entrance of Khor -al-Qalai'ah
MeanwhJe every disposition had been made bv Shaikh 'Ah,h u h h-