'Extracts from Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by J G Lorimer CIE, Indian Civil Service' [‎6v] (17/180)

2
Tribute from
'Oman to the
Wahhabis
fixed at
S5.000 in
1833.
? Oman
threatened
bv Egypt.
1839-40.
Wahhabi
aggression
renewed.
1845.
his master 'Abdul 'Aziz at Dara'iyah, withdrew from Sohar to Baraimi; and the
'Omani leaders, satisfied apparently with the retirement of the enemy, allowed
the great tribal muster to disperse.
Aggressions of the Wahhabis and Egyptians, 1829-56.
[pp. 456-8]
The dangers which threatened 'Oman from the side of Najd during the later
part of Sa'id's reign are so little connected with the course or local affairs just
related as to be capable of separate consideration; their appearance and
disappearance were regulated chiefly by the crises through which the Wahhabi
kingdom itself passed during this period.
w By 1830 the power of the Wahhabis, temporarily crushed at its centre in 1818,
had revived to a considerable extent in Eastern Arabia; and in 1833 their pressure
was felt once more on the frontiers of 'Oman. The British Government in India,
who admitted no responsibility for the defence of the Saiyid's dominions by land,
having approved his intention of entering into a friendly understandinng with the
Wahhabi Amir, a compact was formed between the Saiyid and the Wahhabis
under which the limits of direct government of the contracting powers were defined
and Sa'id undertook to pay $5,000 a year as Zakat to the ruler of Najd. A further
stipulation by which each party was bound to assist in suppressing rebellion in
the dominions of the other was deemed imprudent by the British authorities,
especially in view of the hostile relations existing between the Wahhabis and the
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of Egypt; but Sa'id assured them that the observance of this article would
be regulated, on his part, by a strict regard for the wishes of the British Govern
ment. The arrangement just described appears to have been negotiated with the
Wahhabi general Sa'ad-bin-Mutlaq by Saiyid Sa'id immediately before his third
expedition to East Africa, but there is nothing to show how long the tribute
promised continued to be paid. The abortive combination formed by Sa'id and
the Wahhabis in 1836 for the purpose of expelling Hamiid-bin-'Azzan from Sohar
and Rustaq has already been noticed under the head of internal affairs.
In 1839 the Egyptians occupied the position in Central Arabia from which
they had ousted the Wahhabis; but they continued the domineering policy of
their predecessors towards Oman, and they even made use of the same local agents,
namely Sa'ad-bin-Mutlaq and Bin-Battal. Sa'id, in order to promote his designs
on Bahrain, which he had never abandoned, was disposed at first to conform his
policy to that of Muhammad 'Ali, Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of Egypt; but, on becoming aware of
the anti-Egyptian sentiments of the British Government in what concerned Eastern
Arabia, he associated himeslf with their views, underwent the reconciliation already
mentioned with his kinsman Hamud of Sohar, who was a consistent opponent of
Egyptian influence, and disregarded a peremtory demand made on him for
assistance by Khurshid Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the Egyptian Commander in Najd. Such
correspondence with the Egyptian authorities as he could not avoid he carried
on henceforward with the cognisance and approval of the British Government.
The danger to 'Oman from the Egyptians ceased only on the withdrawal of the
latter from Najd in 1840.
At the beginning of 1845, during Sa'id's longest absence from 'Oman,
Sa'ad-bin-Mutlaq appeared once more at Baraimi in his original and familiar
character of Wahhabi agent, captured Majls, and demanded tribute of Sa'id's
representative (Saiyid Thuwaini) and of Hamud (the Sohar chief) at the rate of
$20,000 and $5,000 per annum respectively. Hamud was ready to appeal to arms,
but Thuwaini preferred to temporise; and a truce was patched ud on the under
standing that $5,000 down should be paid on account of Sohar, while the rest of
the demand was referred to Saiyid Sa'id at Zanzibar. This arrangement was in
consonance with the advice of the British Resident in the Persian'Gulf, who on
the first appearance of danger had counselled Thuwaini to comply with the
Wahhabi demands, provided they were not excessive or humiliating, and in the
opposite case to threaten a reference to the British Government. Sa'ad-bin Mutlaq
soon violated the truce by permitting a raid on Barkah, and began to collect a
huge levy of tribesmen, largely Bani Qitab, for an attack of Masqat: in this
emergency the British Resident in the Gulf addressed a stringent protest to the
Amir, enjoined Sa'ad to await his master's orders, and sent British war-vessels to
cruise upon the Batinah coast. These steps caused the Wahhabi to abate his
demands; he agreed to accept, exclusive of an initial present of $2,000, an annual
tribute of $5,000 a year which Thuwaini under his father's instructions was willing