"تقرير إداري للمقيمية السياسية في الخليج العربي والوكالة السياسية في مسقط عن الفترة ١٨٨٨-١٨٨٩." [ظ‎‎٥‎٨] (٦٠/٢٥)

ADMINISTRATION REPORT OP THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL
sal received letters from the most important Chiefs in 'Oman, containing pro-
fessions of friendship and good-will towards him, and the news of his accession
seems to have been favourably received throughout the Province.
A week after Seyyid Turki's death. Colonel Ross, Resident in the Persian
Gulf, arrived in the Lawrence and paid a visit of condolence to the three sons
of the late Sultan, which they returned the following day. Colonel Ross left
Muscat the same evening.
About the end of June Seyyid Sa'eed, the ex-Minister, having heard of
Seyyid Turki's death, returned from Kishm. This action was strongly dis
approved of by Seyyid Peysal who deputed his brother, Seyyid Pahad, to meet
Seyyid Sa'eed on landing, with instructions that the latter was to consider
himself under restraint during his stay in Muscat. Seyyid Sa'eed thus virtu
ally became a prisoner in his own house. He was shortly afterwards compelled
to leave the place, and started for Bunder Abbas on 1st July.
During the month of June there were some slight intertribal disturbances
in the district, but these were not dependent on the events taking place at
Muscat.
In July, four Banians arrived from Burkah with a complaint that they had
been assaulted by a party of Beni Jabir whilst drawing water at Burkah. The
case was represented to His Highness the Sultan, and an enquiry resulted in
the imprisonment at Muscat of the ringleaders of the offending party.
A proposal was made by His Highness to collect " Zekat" (taxes) from
purchasers, on produce arriving from the interior at coast-towns. This, being
contrary to treaty, was disallowed.
Pighting again occurred at Burkah between the Yal Bede and Hikman
tribes, in which six men on each side were killed. A fight also took place in
the Wadis, Ghafir and Shatan between the Ghafree tribes, Meyayihah and
Ibriyeen, in which some 50 men were killed and an equal number taken pri
soners. Peace was restored by the mediation of Sayyid Ibrahim-bin-Keis, of
Rostak.
_ -'• n August His Highness Seyyid Abdul Aziz wrote to the Political Agent,
stating that he felt himself called upon and impelled to reform the Province of
Oman by force of arms, and enquiring whether the British Government would
assist him in his plan of reformation and conquest. He added that, if he could
rely on the support of the British Government, he could, no doubt, mature his
schemes <{ easily and without bloodshed." This letter was referred to the
Resident at Bushire, and under his orders Seyyid Abdul Aziz was to be inform
ed that he had already been made acquainted with the views of Government,
and that no other amplification thereof seemed necessary.
Letters were received from the Wali and towsnfolk of Awabee, the former
stating that the latter were in league with an agent of Seyyid Ibrahim-bin-
Keis, named Ibrahim-bin-Sa'eed, to deliver up the place to him. The Wali
s a e a e a frustrated this design by his watchfulness and had destroyed
t ic watercourses of the townspeople by way of punishment. The people, on
f 6 T i. an ' C0m P^ Ile ^ tbey had been unjustly punished, and that the
® h ® d been . mTe pted hy the Wali out of spite towards Ibrahim-bin-Sa'eed,
who had been imprisoned.
pnnnfrTfnf ft- ! )r ^ ers Nakhl to proceed to Awabee to
• vi t n 0 16 a ai1 ' ail( i directed that the people should be allowed to re
pair their watercourses.
Rpni^TT^ ^ f occurred at Khasab between the Kumzar and the
Bede bin * a T i P - i 5 eySal de P ute(i ^is brother Seyyid Pahad, Seyyid
Bede-bin-Seif and Sheikh Shamis-bin-Hasan to settle the quarrel. The de-