'Administration Reports 1920-1924' [‎36r] (76/412)

persian gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. political residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. 1920.
53
in November of that year, as also the difficulties with -which he was meeting
owing to the opposition of the " Mutawwa " party. Suffice it to say that the
Mutawwa party finally gained the car of the Imam who on the 18th February
whqn A1 Kindi accompanied by Sheikh Isa bin Salih and several other
prominent: Sheikhs preferred their request before him in person, definitely
refused to return the gardens and to ratify the proposed settlement. '
For some time before this breakdown of the negotiations it had been felt
which way the wind was blowing. Miss Bell in the course of her prolific
writings on the Arab has made one true statement concerning hinx, when she
refers to him as " with his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the main chance The
more powerful or the more important the Arab the more unblinking are bis
eyes and the more personal is the main chance. In the case of those in power
in Oman the main chance was the confiscated property whose produce thev
were enjoying, ai d towards the recovery of which the British Government
seemed to be exerting a languid and feeble support on behalf of the Sultan's
government. Greed as usual extinguished all consideration of policy or
consequences, while their experience of our attitude, which from the last few
years seemed to combine in their eyes indecision with insincerity and weakness
caused them to discount any active interference on our part. '
The negotiations had however the advantage of showing that the polite
and diplomatic way under the circumstances was useless, and the breakdown
lett us tree to fol ow a somewhat stronger line with a clear conscience.
It would have to be shown to the Omanis that we were sincere in our
desire for peace, that we would not tolerate an openly dangerous and hostile
hinterland for ever, and that the Sultan s government, did we support it not
excessively but only m accordance with our treaty obligations, had the power
to punish the Omanis for their perfectly unreasonable attitude.
,. The strengthening of the Sultan 's power was a clear step towards a favour-
able settlement. It was his original weakness which had caused the rebellion
while the contmued inaptitude and powerlessness of his administration permit
ted it to continue, and made any concession from the Omanis an act of grace
on their part As will be explained below the reform of the administSn
was advanced with vigour, and almost synchronous with the rZsal of the
Imam a British adviser to the Sultan appeared on the scene.
Portlier, reports showed that owing to the complete epssaHon of
import of arms into Oman the tribesmen bad largely lost their offensive power
The actual refusal of the Imam was accompanied by a temporising and
apologetic letter from Sheikh Isa, who seemed to expect that as usual we would
birn the other cheek to this rebuff. The negotiations were however at once
broken off by the 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. , the emissary was Lformed in knLal
that permitted of no two interpretations that the Omanis would find tilt
their folly had consequences, and the Sultan proceeded on the 3rd March
SrSld^. ^ POhtlCal AgeQt 011 a11 ^ Visit t0 Bi8 ^celten^fe
Shortly before this there had been considerable trouble atMasnaah a
small port on the Batmah coast, and at Snr, the large port 90 miles south of
Muscat At each place the inhabitants, encouraged by the welkneL of the
administration and intrigues from Oman had refuswl t j
Matcn ti. M. b. Bntomart m accordance with our promise to siinnnrf fhA
Sultan on the coast, proceeded to Masnaah A few wp] ^
settled the matte; and (he recalcitrant SheTkh paid a £g e fine o th Sultan s
Government, while on the appearance of the ship at Sur all arrears if Tni
were immediately forthcoming. P arrears of Customs
ancelS^^jS^^^f^oS 0f the , I t ma "' P™'
sation caused by the publication at the beginning of M ay of nSX W Sulta 6 ""
Government raising zakat or coastal nofrrvi ^ n otices by tue feultan s
interior into the coast towns! from 5 per cent to 25 per cent in^he TsJ of