'File 35/134 I A. 40. Sur: Amirs of Jaalan' [‎44r] (100/596)

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into prison at Muscat. Shaikh Abdullah, however, managed to remain at
liberty and thwart the Mntowwa power in every possible way. This led Saiyid
Azzan to instigate the Bani bu Hassan and the A1 Waheebeh to wage war
against the Bani bu Ali. A serious engagement took place at Lazzeh in which
Abdullah defeated the two fiinawi tribes, and in revenge for which the Bani
bu Hasan rose again only to be defeated a secoiid time at Seh al Masaddee.
7 In 1^70 Saiyid Toorkee having requested the help of the Bani bu Ali
they joined him at Sur and 200 of their number marchid under Sheikh
Abdullah and Yoosuf against Matrah where they both took a leadinsr part in
scaling the wall and in the engagement which resulted in the death of Saiyid
Azzan bin Kais and subsequently restoring order and holding the place till
Saiyid Toorkee's arrival from Sur. In recognition of their services Saiyid
Tocrkee granted the Amirs of the Bani bu Ali exemption from the payment
of Customs on the goods imported by them into Sur.
8. In 1895 the Bani bu Ali sent detachments in support of Saiyid ' Faisal
when he was attacked at Muscat by Sailh bin Ali but they made no deter
mined effort to expel the rebels and recover the capital for their sovereign. In
recognition of their services Saiyid Faisal granted the Amirs of the Bani bu
Ali an allowance of dollars 100 per mensem.
9. In the Spring of 1903, the ordinary annual hostilities between the
Ghafiris and Hinawis of Shariqiyah being then in progress, Abdullah bin Salim
found reason to suspect that the people of Sur, though Ghafiris, were supplying
his enemies with the sinews of war. He accordingly marched down the coast
and declared the harbour blockaded until his demands for satisfaction were
complied Mith. After Abdullah had returned to the interior, relations between
his supporters in the Aiqa quarter and his opponents in Muqraimatain
became so strained, that w^hen Major Cox arrived there in August, he
found the two factions on the point of opening fire on each other across the
intervening creek. The Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , having obtained a truce for 48 hours,
returned at once to Muscat and informed the Sultan, who immediately pro
ceeded to the spot. The Jenebeh would not at once submit to his mediation,
and, before proceedings had commenced in earnest, the Sultan w r as called away
by serious news from Bustaq, nevertheless his visit actually averted fighting
for the moment, and the dispute was adjusted, not long after, by neutral
Sheikhs of the neighbourhood. (Lorimer, Vol. I, page 580.)
10. In 1913 Sheikh Abdullah bin Salim Al Alawi died. He was con
sidered a very daring man, well disposed towards the Sultans of Muscat and
always ready to help them. His eldest son Naser had predeceased him and
as the latter's son Mahomed was still a minor, Abdullah's second son Ali
w r as ma del Amir jointly with Mahomed bin ISIaser, an arrangement w^hich still
continues.
11. During the 1913-19 rebellion the Bani bu Ali took the part of the
Sultan, but, since the time Mahomed bin Naser started to assert his authority,
relations betweea the Amirs and the Sultan have undergone a change. In
3920 the Wazir Minister. cut the allowances paid to the Bani bu Ali through misdirected
economy but Mr. Wingate restored it. In 1923 the Amirs sent a petition to
Government claiming that the port of Sur belonged to them and that the
Sultan had nothing to do w r iih the «aid Port ; that the Sultan did not supply
them wdth arms and ammunition according to agreement; and asking that
they might enter into direct relations with the Government of India. Govern
ment replied that they w T ere unable to intervene on their behalf.
12. In 1924 Mahomed bin Naser informed Major Hinde that he w^as
authorized by the Muscat Government to settle all disputes in Sur and had
succeeded in doing so wdth the exception of Khamis bin Mubarak of the Arama
section. From the records of the Council of Ministers it appears that
Mahomed bin Naser wrote to the Sultan in March 1924 otfering to effect a
settlement between the Jenebeh sections. The Sultan replied permitting him
to inteivene during the " Salifah " period, but after this period he was not to
interfere in anything. In 1925 Mahomed bin Naser also attempted to
foist a Sheikh (Said bin Sultan bin Mahomed) on the ITenebeh at Sur. This
Action was resented and failed.