'Extracts from Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by J G Lorimer CIE, Indian Civil Service' [‎24v] (53/180)

38
authorities
relative to
the Wahhabi
daneer. 1825.
Refusal of
the British
Government
to support
the Shaikh
of Sharjah
against the
Wahhabis.
1830.
Ineffectual
Wahhabi
intervention.
1834.
reply was apparently given to the question about British suppoit, the Bombay
Government thinking it more prudent not to publish their intention of avoiding a
collision with Wahhabis over merely territorial matters; but the Shaikh was
informed that no plea of compulsion by the Wahhabis would be admitted b\ the
British Government in extenuation of piratical proceedings, and he was strongly
advised to abstain from joining any combination against His Highness of Masqat.
In 1830 the successes of^the Wahhabis in Hasa and the prospect of their
immediate appearance in "Oman caused a considerable stir upon the Pirate Coast.
The Shaikh of Sharjah. who had everything to lose by their return, endeavoured,
while openly professing delight at their approach, to obtain in secret a promise
of support against them from the British Government; but it was explained to
him that Britain had no end in view except the maintenance of maritime security
and could not interfere in the internal affairs of Arabian states. A large number
of the common people, however, as well as the Shaikhs oi Ajman and L mm-al-
Qaiwain, who hoped that by some change they might be freed from^ their
dependence on Sharjah. sincerely rejoiced at the appearance ol the Wahhabis;
and Rashid-bin-Hamaid of "Ajman even applied for the post of Wahhabi vicegerent
in the country, but received the chilling reply that the Amir regarded, and would
continue to regard, the Saiyid of Masqat and the Shaikh of Sharjah as the two
heads of the tribes of 'Oman. Rashid was however made the medium, in 1831,
of a communication from the Wahhabi Amir to the Governor of Bombay, in
which the former signified a wish to be on terms of amity with the British
Government.
In 1833, in consequence of an internal revolution, the principality of Abu
Dhabi fell temporarily under Wahhabi influence; and in 1834 the Wahhabi
representative at Baraimi interposed, on the side of the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi, in
the chronic feud—then at its height—between that ruler and the Shaikh of Sharjah.
His action, however, though it prevented Sultan-bin-Saqar from obtaining Bedouins
to beleaguer Abu Dhabi Town on the landward side, did not seriously impress him
or cause him to desist from hostilities.
Relations of the Qawasim One of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates; also used to refer to a confederation of seafaring Arabs led by the Qāsimī tribe from Ras al Khaima. with the Persian Coast, 1920-35.
The Qawasim One of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates; also used to refer to a confederation of seafaring Arabs led by the Qāsimī tribe from Ras al Khaima. had still a close connection with the coast of Persia, where
Lingeh was governed by a family of their tribe; and they seem to have favoured,
not unnaturally, the side of the local Arab Shaikhs in the periodical difficulties
between the laiter and the central Persian Government.
Demonstra- i n \^2 Shaikh Nasir, a heriditary Governor of Biishehr who had been
^ n at expelled by the Persian authorities, blockaded his former charge and summoned
1 gp e r " the Qawasim One of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates; also used to refer to a confederation of seafaring Arabs led by the Qāsimī tribe from Ras al Khaima. to his aid, promising them the plunder of the town if it should be
taken. In response to this invitation Shaikh Sultan-bin-Saqar, at the end of
November, arrived in person at Bushehr with a fleet carrying from 1,000 to 1,500
men; and serious mischief might have resulted had not Mr. Blane, the British
Resident, seeing that Shaikh Nasir's blockade had already failed and that there
was no hope of his permanent restoration by violence, ordered the Qawasim One of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates; also used to refer to a confederation of seafaring Arabs led by the Qāsimī tribe from Ras al Khaima. to
withdraw. This they did reluctantly and only in consequence of threats by the
Resident to employ force.
Internal affairs of the Pirate Coast, 1820-35.
Position in Even before the evacuation of Ras-al-Khaimah by the British forces. Shaikh
1821 - Sultan-bin-Saqar had stepped into the place of principal authority among the
Qawasim One of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates; also used to refer to a confederation of seafaring Arabs led by the Qāsimī tribe from Ras al Khaima. . Hasan-bin-Rahmah of Ras-al-Khaimah had then already become
subservient to him; and the aged Husain-bin-'Ali of Rams, who clung to his
Wahhabi ideas and was apparently supported by Qadhib-bin-Ahmad of Jazirat-
al-Hamra, could make no head against his influence.
Position in At the time when, in January 1823, Lieutenant McLeod's visit to the Pirate
1823. Coast first laid bare to view the internal politics of the country, the influence and
power of the Shaikh of Sharjah greatly exceeded those of any other chief, the ruler
of Abu Dhabi, his chief competitor, not excepted. Sultan-bin-Saqar had now
deported the old Shaikh of Rams to Sharjah, replacing him by Muhammad-bin-
'Abdur Rahman, the son of a former Shaikh; his own brother Muhammad he
had placed over Ras-al-Khaimah town, which now occupied a site on the mainland