'Administration Reports 1925-1930' [‎87r] (178/418)

2$.
The State Launch " A1 Saeed " was armed with a 3-pounder Hotchkis^
gun in October. It is hoped that the State will make full use of her as a petrol
ship for closer Custom's supervision.
Mr. Iskandar has continued to hold the post of Director General of Cus
toms throughout the year.
Tribes of the Sultaucits Sut. —Said bin Saleh bin Ali, a Sheikh of the
Arama section of the Janabah of Sur, was murdered in the street atSuron
the 4th March. The murderer was not known but was suspected of belonging
to the Mukhanna, one of the four sections of Janabah. The town stood to
arms for some time but the trouble was inter-tribal and not ttTiii-Government.
On 19th August Mr. Thomas proceeded to Sur, conferred with Sheikh
Mohomed bin Nasir A1 Hamudah of the Bani Bu Ali, and discussed with the
four sections of the Janabah the questions of paying their debts to Khan
Bahadur Nasib and Ali Moosa Khan which amount to Rs. 3,00,000 and of
pulling down forts which they had recently erected. Being dissatisfied with
the attitude of the Arama section, Mr. Thomas, on departure in the " A1
Saeed , seized one of their dhows, whereupon the tribesmen on the shore
ed at the ' A1 Saeed The funnel and one boat were struck but no damage
was done. The fire was not returned.
The Council decided to arrest all dhows belonging to this section pending"
the payment of a fine of Rs. 10,000 and the demolition of the new towers
Mr. Thomas again visited Sur in H.M. S. " Triad " on the 4th September',
i he matter is not settled yet.
Sheikh Mansur bin Nasir of Masireh (Janabah) died of small-pox in
September whdst returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca on which he was
accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Nasir and Salim bin Abdullah, brothers
?,! t t 1 ? 11 ° f J aala n- At Mecca they appear to have approached His
xViajesty ibn baud with a view to obtaining arms from him.
Baraimi. In July four Sheikhs of the A1 Naeem tribe died of cholera.
Yunqnl.-—\n November Sheikh Khalifa bin Hilal bin Ghusn of the
itani Ah of Yunqul was forced to abdicate and relinquish the fort and capital
to Saif bin Amer, till lately the Sultan's Wali of Liwa, and Sulaiman bin
bannan, son-m-law of Sheikh Isa bin Salih, and Wali under the Imam of the
upper part of Ibri.
In December Sulaiman bin Sannan turned out Saif bin Amer and his
son under threat of murder. Yunqul and its surroundings have thereby
fallen under the influence of the Imam and Sheikh Isa bin Salih.
Affairs in Oman. The relations between the Muscat Government and
the Imam continued to be friendly.
The Imam has formed a council in Nezwa consisting of-—
* (1) Sulaiman Baruni.
:(2) Saeed bin Nasir al Kindi.
(3) Aamir bin Khamis al Malki, Wali of Nezwa,
(4) Majid bin Khamis al Abri of Hamra,
, }^h a yipw to increasing the revenues of his Government, the Imam
has been revising the system of assessment in his territory. This has been
.carried out successfully, though resented by the inhabitants of Bestaq,
JNezwa and Semail, particularly by the Bani Ruwaiha.
msskmry enterprise-'The Rev. G. D. Van Peursem with his family,
Dr. (Miss) Hosmon and Miss Lutton were in Muscat during the year leaving
as usual for summer recess. In December Dr. Harrison of the same mission
arrived at Muttra with his family and started medical work there.
Foreign interests -On the 17th February, F. R. " Diana " arrived
from the Gulf and left the same day,
F. R. Sloop Antares " arrived on the 27th November and left for Aden
the same evening.
Arms traffic. Iffo arms were imported during the year under report
except tor the personal use of His Highness and his Ministers.
M410(c) F &PD