"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎١‎٢‎٢] (١٧٨٢/١٢٩٣)

to astiist the
Sultan of
'Oman,
Letter from
the Amir and
intention of
the Govern
ment of India
not to
demand com-
Smsation for
ritish
sufferers at
Srr from the
Wahhabis.
Ultimatum
sent by the
Eesident to
theWahhabi
Amir,
January
1866.
1122
had suffered at the hands of tribesmen instigated by the ^Tahhabi agent
at Baraimi. Before the death of Faisal it had beet resolved Kv the
Government of India to encouracre the Sultan of ^Oman to more active
resistance of the Wahhabis; it was ordered that rcaterial assistance in
the shape of munitions of war, and, if absolutely necessary, of monev also,
should be afforded him; and naval action in his favour was authorised
on condition that operations on land were not to bf undertaken.
Apparently in November 1865, Colonel Pelly bein<* then on his way
to Bombay after leave in Europe^ a letter, which purported to come from
the Amir Faisal and to be an answer to representations made regarding
the behaviour of the Wahhabis at Sur, reached the British authorities
at Bushehr. In this communication it was stated that the Amir had
ordered the release of British subjects taken prisoners at Sur and the
restoration of their property; and, while the question of compensation
was ignored, reference was made to an agreement between the British
and the Wahhabi Governments " originally effected in the time of
the late Sa ud, and again ratified in the time of the present ruler."
On consideration of the letter, and after various enquiries, the
Government of India decided that the Amir should be invited to
send a copy of the alleged treaty; that the Amir should be given to
understand that the Sultan of ; Oman was a friend and ally of the
British Government who, while they hoped for a happy settlement of
the Sultan s differences with the Amir, could not regard encroachment on
the Sultan s territory without grave concern; and that the Amir should
n^t be pressed to pay compensation for the recent injuries to British
subjects at Sur.
Meanwhile, however, decisive action, leading to an open breach with
the W ahhabis, was taken by the local British authorities in pursuance
of tne instructions which they had received to help the Sultan of 'Oman.
The chiefs of Trucial 'Oman were informed that they were at liberty to
aid the Sultan against the Wahhabis; arrangements were made for
the despatch of a Masqat fleet under Saiyid Turki, the Sultan's brother,
to blockade the Wahhabi ports of Qatif and 'Oqair ; and, the attitude of
the Shaikh of Bahrain appearing suspicious, one of his war-vessels,
the Dinar , was seized by the British authorities, partly to prevent
his helping the Wahhabis but partly also to compel satisfaction of
claims which there were against him. On the 22nd December 1865
H.M. S. Highflyei , Captain Fasley, left Bombay carrying two
18-pounder guns with ammunition for the Sultan of 'Oman, which
she disembarked at Sohar, and early in January 1866 a consultation