'File 8/67 MUSCAT STATE AFFAIRS: MUSCAT – OMAN TREATY.' [‎58v] (121/316)

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honeyed words* Thoy had refused poaco o hu^ to i^noraiiCG and roligion^
prejudice it is true, possibly as well owing to the lukewarmness oi the chief
protagonist in the cause, Sheikh Isa, but actually because the Omanis thought
that we were not backing the Sibtan with auy degree of enthusiasm and that
therefore they could go as far as they liked with impunity.
The Omanis were therefore to be shown that our support of the Sultan
was a reality, and not only that but that the Sultan was capable of retaliating
very effectively on the Omanis by taxing their produce heavily when it came
down to the coast for export.
Reliable information from the interior showed that owing to the lon<*
stoppage of the import of arms and ammunition the Qmanis had largely lost
their offensive power, and were by no means enthusiastic for the Imam whose
puritanical fanaticism was making li r e intolerable, an itho exactions of whose
brothers had raised a storm of protest.
The moment was therefore opportune for changing from a weak defensive
to a vigorous offensive. It was pointed out that if certain steps were taken
which involved no use of force by us, it was extremely probable that the Omanis
would see reason. Even if they did not do so for sometime it would not matter
as affairs would eventually automatically adjust themselves with the increase
of the Sultan’s power following on the reform of his administration.
The following events therefore took place on the refusal of the Imam to
ratify ; —
(1) The negotiations were broken off bv me in the most insulting
- fashion. ®
( 2 ) A British advisar to the Sultan appeared.
(3) The Saltan accompanied by me went on an official visit to His
Excellency the Viceroy in India leaving the British adviser in
charge of the State. /j
(4) A British warship, in pursuance of our enagements to suppoit the
authority of the Sultan on the coast, proceeded to Masnaab and
*air w eret ie authority of the Sultan had been dolled and inflicted
punishment at the former place with good r esults.
the suddenlemh of ShpiJrT? W,aS a V-^ e same momen ^ greatly weakened bv
oHCaud htlunlb n,y f bltt Nasir-al Nabhanif the most powerful
boy of 11 , * 8 su PP or t ;er > whose successor was an inexperienced
return from India^thenubhea^n 011 / 11 r) ^ lxn oni 7 to bo increased on my
imposing a penal zakat of 25 per cent on Ilf dal ^ 8ultan S Government
nates brought by the Omanis to th, ^ * dfces au ^ 50 P er cent oa pomegra*
percent. \ Umams ^ the coast towns, instead of the customary 5
T.ieprodamations annonnmnn. n *
care.u ly wo ded, making it nerfpoti ^ )Slfclon penal tax were very
imp- sed as a punishment owin r f, • Ciea 5 ev f n to tiie Omanis that the tax was
a nd to come to te rtns. o to their refusal to give up the looted property
Coincident with tl > it
°J curre ^ ^asi?bin liadiifUf Ltv no ^ Ges (^ u May) a very significant
Sultan* G f r oni Ahmad bin Ibrahir la ,^ usl v '^ 10 had been suffering con-
the s iege to Hazm " A* 11 ’ | 1 1 0 1 ru i er Hazm just within the
if* °;s e w 2
wei 1 e a po ff ^ll lkh ::i,er Sheikh «Wmcu 2 d' l th 7 l I ““ y a,most bo said according
Powerless Mod the I mai n pointing out that they
seemed to be imposed simply