"دليل الخليج. الجزء الأول. المواد التاريخية والسياسية. ملخص حول شؤون نجد، ١٨٠٤-١٩٠٤" [‎٢‎١] (٦٨/٢٩)

21
81. In the views thus expressed by Colonel Pelly as to the course which
Goverumeat letter No. 1360, dated the 3rd June Our Treaty obligation S cind SOUnd. policy
1S65 - indicated, the Bombay Government gene
rally concurred, but it seemed premature to decide on any definite course of
action until the British had heard what the Wahabi Amir had to say. Mean
while the officer in charge of the Residency in the Persian Gulf (Colonel Pelly
having proceeded to Enrope) and the Political Agent at Masqat, were informed
that it was exceedingly desirable that these differences should be adjusted by
their good offices without hostilities commencing between Maskat and the
Wahabi Amir.
82. These proceedings having been reported to the Government of India, Mr.
Secretary Muir replied on the 21st June 1865, that the Viceroy in Council
11 concurred in the views and approved the action of the Bombay Government."
XXIV.—Rebellion of two Oman tribes nnder leadership of a Wahabi
officer. (2) Outrages on British subjects at Sur, 1865-
83. Shortly afterwards the Political Agent at Maskat brought to notice
„ , J , that a Wahabi Agent had arrived at that
Assistant Resident, Busbire, No, 34, dated 23rd , .. u , j n , i i. £
July 1865. place with demands for the payment of
Political Agent, Maskat, No. isa, dated the 4th three or four times the customary annual
August is6o. contribution, and that on his recommen
dation, His Highness Syud Thoweyni had sent a messenger with a letter to
the Wahabi Amir, informing him that he had paid the usual annual contribu
tion, but as regards additional demands he awaited the Amir's reply to Colonel
Pelly's communication offering to mediate, and to the letter enclosed from him
self (the Sultan).
84. This was followed by a letter from the Political Agent, dated the 22nd
August, reporting that the Beni-bu-ali and Jenubah tribes had, under the
leadership of Abdul Aziz Wahabi. invested the castle of Sur, and on the
refusal of the garrison to surrender laid siege to it. Resistance was successfully
offered by the Maskat troops for two days, but on the night of the third day
the besiegers succeeded in undermining the walls of the bazar adjoining the
castle, and effected an entry, when the entire wealth of the place, the greater
part of which belonged to British Indian subjects, fell into their hands. During
the assault one British subject was killed, whose remains were denied the rites
of burial, and another w T as wounded. The castle subsequently surrendered.
After suffering much hardship and indignity, and being stript of nearly all
their clothing, the British Indian subjects were permitted to leave Sur and
proceed to Maskat. They represented their losses to the Political Agent at
27,000 dollars.
85. On receiving intelligence of these occurrences the Political Agent
addressed the Sultan of Maskat, exhorting him to take " active and determined
measures, tempered with clemency in its place and season," to bring the rebels
to submission. He at the same time addressed the Wahabi Amir, and also
bis deputy Sudeyri at Brymi, protesting in the name of the British Govern
ment at the proceedings ofTheir subordinate Abdul Aziz at Sur.
86. In forwarding to the Government of India a copy of the correspondence
relating to these events. His Excellency the Governor in accordance with the
* Letter from Mr. Secretary Muir, No. 809, dated request of the Governor-General in Council
the 20th September 186,s. (previously* comnrjjnicated) proceeded
to record his views on the attitude proper to be observed by the British Govern
ment in the position of affairs in Oman.
87. After reviewing briefly the events connected with the rise of the
Wahabi power, and its temporary subversion by Ibrahim Pasha, His Excel
lency wrote:—
" There can be no doubt that the Wahabis have of late shown a considerable revival
Minute by His Excellency the Governor, concurred of their former activity, both as an aggressive
E by the Honorable Board, dated the 9th October temporal power in the interior of Arabia, and as
1865 * leaders of fanatical revival in India."