"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٤‎٨‎٨] (١٧٨٢/٦٣١)

Otter diffi
culties.
The "Clyde "
incident,
October 1869.
British Poli
tical Agent
changed,
1869.
488
peace; and it was explained to 'Azzan that, while debarred from descents
by sea on foreign or disputed territory, he was not restricted in regard to
naval movements within his own territorial waters: 'Azzan in return
professed himself grateful and desirous to please the British Government
in every respect.
Meanwhile, however, an attack on the private house of Mr. Shore, the
British Agency Accountant, had been threatened, "should the sounds of a
concertina proceed therefrom"; and in August and September some
tobacco in which British subjects were interested was seized by the
Masqat authorities and destroyed by them in accordance with their
religious principles. A little later an attempt was made by the local
administration to detain the « Prince of Wales ", a ship under the British
flag, which they claimed as belonging of right to the navy of ^Oman and
as having been unwarrantably carried off by Salim at his departure from
Masqat; but in this matter they yielded to the protests of Colonel
Disbrowe.
On the 15th of October a much more serious incident occurred. The
Political Agent, having received notice of an intended attack by Nasir-
bm-Tbuwaini of Gwadar upon Masqat, requested the officer in com-
tnand of the "Clyde" to move her to a different berth under Fort
Jalah ; but he had omitted to inform the local authorities, and the
garrison of the fort, not understanding the reason of the manoeuvre,
opened a fire of matchlocks on the "Clyde" and maintained it for
half-an-hour. The Political Resident in the Gulf was ordered to proceed
to Masqat at once, and arrangements were made for collecting a British
naval force there in case reparation should be refused. Colonel Pelly,
owever, was successful in obtaining a written apology from the Kli a .liH J
w o was in charge of Masqat during the absence of 'Azzan, as well
as an oral apology made publicly by a deputation of five notables on
board the "Dalhousie"; and on the 3rd of November'Azzan himself
expressed, m unqualified terms, his regret at what had happened and his
respect for the British Government. Colonel Pelly reported on this occa
sion that the British Indian subjects at Masqat did not complain of
being themselves oppressed, and that their two chief grievances were
e enforcement of the Muhammadan law of creditor and debtor and of a
prohibition against the purchase of tobacco by Masqat subjects, which
affected a branch of their trade. J
hrnvve ^ wlien matters ^ad quieted down, Colonel Die-
uZ 7 r, " t0 a,l0the '-P- 4 -d succeeded at Masqat by
ay, the latter being placed in strict subordination to the Resident
0 I
Wizan'si