'Extracts from Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by J G Lorimer CIE, Indian Civil Service' [‎7r] (18/180)

3
to pay; and the Wahhabi expedition was then broken up, and Majis restored to
the ruler of 'Oman. The prestige of the Wahhabis seems to have suffered by this
settlement, for we now tind a number of local chiefs and tribes—particularly the
Yal Sa'ad—arming against them; and their messengers in Batinah were after this
frequently detained and otherwise treated with contumely.
At the end of 1852 'Abdullah-bin-Faisal, the son of the Wahhabi Amir,
arrived at Baraimi with a commission to extend and enforce the authority of
his father's Government. Taking advantage of the recent expulsion of Qais-bin-
'Azzan from Sohar, he required the cession of that district by Saiyid Sa'id, and
demanded an increase of tribute so great as to make it apparent that what he really
wished was a pretext for declaring war. The British Resident in the Gulf, who
had meanwhile reached the coast of Trucial 'Oman upon a different errand, at once
applied himself to counteracting the influence and prestige of the Wahhabis, and
at the same time encouraged the regent Thuwaini to resistance by a promise to
assist him, if need be, in the defence of his capital: his attitude emboldened
Saiyid Thuwaini to proceed to Sohar, which he placed in a state of defence. The
Wahhabis then abandoned their design of attacking Batinah, and a compromise
was arranged under which the frontiers of 'Oman remained intact, but the yearly-
tribute payable to the Wahhabis was increased from $5,000 to $12,000;
simultaneously an oifensive and defensive alliance was established between the
signatories, the Wahhabis in particular undertaking to assist the regent Thuwaini
hT case of internal difficulties. In the next year, the tribes of Batinah having
withheld their contributions and payment of the stipulated tribute being
consequently impossible, Thuwaini called upon 'Abdullah-bin-Faisal for the aid
guaranteed by the recent treaty; it was afforded, though not without reluctance;
and at the end of 1853 the refractory tribes had been coerced and amity still
prevailed between the Government of 'Oman and the Wahhabi power. Ahmad
the Sadairi, whom the Wahhabis now placed in charge of Baraimi, seems about
this time to have undertaken a tour in 'Oman Proper, where he probably wrung
fresh contributions from the inhabitants, irrespective of the tribute already paid
for the whole country by the ruler of 'Oman.
Renewed Wahhabi aggressions and British intervention, 1864-66.
[pp. 473-6]
Toward the end of 1864, when hostilities broke out between the Sultan and
'Azzan-bin-Qais of Rustaq, the latter received support from Turki-bin-Ahmad
the Sadairi, Wahhabi agent at Baraimi. Saiyid Thuwaini, in alarm, at once sougnt
the mediation of the British Government and asked to be supplied wit
ammunition; and Colonel Pelly, the Resident in the Persian Gull who was then
on the point of undertaking his remarkable journey to Riyadh in Central Arabia,
was ordered by Government to report upon the situation. No rurtner deve op-
ments took place until Colonel Pelly's return from the interior, when, in April 186^,
he proceeded to Masqat and there ascertained that Azzan-bin-Qais had thrown
off his allegiance to Thuwaini and placed himsell under the Wahhabi Amir, and
that the Amir had begun to demand increased tribute from Oman and to threaten
an invasion of the country in case of non -compliance. Colonel Pelly on becoming
aware of these facts sent a letter to the Wahhabi Amir, with whom his visit to
Riyadh had made him personally acquainted, offering his own sei vices as a
mediator, and he also invited 'Azzan-bin-Qais to a conference at Masqat, but
the letter remained unanswered, and the invitation was politely declined.
In August 1865 the usual Wahhabi mission arrived at Masqat and demanded
four times the customary annual tribute; the Sultan, by the advice of Colonel
Disbrowe, the British Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , paid the ordinary amount and sent a message
to the Amir that, as regards the remainder, he awaited the result of Colonel Pelly s
offer of mediation. , • , ,
In the same month the Jannabah of Sur, who were discontented with the
Sultan's rule, sought Wahhabi assistance trom Baraimi; and the Wahhabi agent,
nothing loth, sent his brother and a Wahhabi contingent who plundered Suq Sur,
assisted by some of the disaffected tribes of Ja'alan, especially the Jannabah and
Bani Bil 'Ali. A garrison occupying a fort on behalf ol the Sultan of Oman held
out for two days; but they were unable to prevent the entrance of the enemy
into the quarter, and eventually they themselves surrendered. Nearly all the
damage inflicted fell upon Hindu traders and shopkeepers of the place, who were
British Indian subjects; the extent of their losses was estimated at $27,700, and one of
48533 c
Tribute from
'Oman to the
Wahhabis
enhanced to
$12,000 in
1853.
Rebellion of
'Azzan-bin-
Qais at
Rustaq with
encourage
ment from
the Wahha
bis. 1864.
Wahhabi
demand for
increased
tribute, 1865.
Wahhabi
raid on Sur,
1865.