"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٣‎٠‎١] (١٧٨٢/٤٤٤)

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powers, but the final result was that they were drawn Into closer relations
with the British Government than before.
In 1 890 an attempt was made by the Turkish Government to establish
a Turkish official at 'Odaid in Trucial 'Oman; but their designs in
that direction were not fully realised. In 1891 two Frenchmen, one
a well-known intriguer, frequented the Trucial Coast for a time and recom
mended the French flag to the notice of the Trucial Shaikhs, from whom
they also seemed to be trying to'obtain concessions. In the winter of 1892-
93, or about the time that the Turkish pretensions to ownership of Muham-
mareh and control of the Shatt-al-^Arab were advanced, it was said that
the Porte had finally decided on the annexation of Bahrain to the Turkish
Empire. The " reversion^ of Bahrain—and also of 'Oman—to dependence
on Turkey was officially proclaimed at (iatif, where Turkish flags were
forced upon the acceptance of Bahrain boat-owners ; but British diplomatic
representations availed to secure the withdrawal of the proclamation and
the abatement of other annoyances. The British Government also, in a con
troversy regarding the status of Bahrainis in the Ottoman dominions,
informed the Porte that Bahrain was under British protection and firmly
maintained the right of Bahrainis to British protection in Turkey. But the
principal outcome of the Turkish intrigues described was an Exclusive
Agreement with the British Government signed by the Shaikhs of Trucial
'Oman and Bahrain, by which the establishment of any sort of relations
between the Shaikhs and foreign powers was rendered impossible.
Affairs and relations of the 'Oman Sultanate, 1888-94.
Turkish ag
gressions, and
Exclusive
Agreement of
the Shaikhs
of Trucial
'Oman and
Bahrain with
Britain.
M
When French influence began, as already explained, torevive in the
Persian Gulf, the ^Oman Sultanate was the chief field of its manifestation.
In 1891 the French Embassy in London complained, under a misappre
hension of the facts, that pressure had lately been employed by Britain to
obtain a modification of the rule of succession to the throne of 'Oman. In
1893 a guarantee was given by the French Government, at the instance of
the French Colonial party, that a French Vice-Consulate would be estab
lished at Masqat ; and ministerial silence confirmed an impression that the
principal duties of the new post would be to promote the use of the French
flag and support Russian policy in the Persian Gulf. Also in 1893, one of
the French adventurers whose presence in Trucial 'Oman had contributed
to the conclusion by the Shaikhs of the Exclusive Agreement with Britain
French acti
vity.