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‘Administration Report on the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Maskat Political Agency for 1903-1904’ [172r] (23/80)
The record is made up of 1 volume (37 folios). It was created in 1904. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
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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.
AND MASKAT POLITICAL
AGENCY
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
FOR THE YEAR 1903-1901
itself to such an extent that early in August, when the Political A^ent paid
one of his periodical visits to the British Indian community there, he found the
two tribal factions inhabiting respectively the Aigeh and Mu ^reimatein divi
sions of the port separated by the Soor creek, on the point of openins' fire on
one another. Having succeeded in persuading the parties not to open hosti
lities for 48 hours, Major Cox returned to Maskat to inform the Sultan, who
at once proceeded there in the Noor-ul-Bahr and was in process of settling
between the parties when he was recalled by the more important news of the '
incursion of Aysa-bin-Saleh. His visit, however, had the desired effect, hosti
lities were staved off for the time, and a little later the parties were able to
settle their differences through the medium of the Sheikhs of some neutral
clans in the neighbourhood.
The latter half of the year under review has been particularly free from
tribal discord.
The year 1903 will always be a memorable one in the annals of British The visit of His
relations with the Sultanate of Oman as carrying the distinction of the first E ?ceiiency the
State visit of a Viceroy to Maskat. curzon y of j0rd
When informed early in October of Lord Curzon's proposed tour in these Maska?. 011 t0
waters, His Highness Seyyid Faisal expressed with much cordiality the plea
sure and honour it would afford him to welcome His Excellency to Maskat,
and from that moment he set himself to prepare to receive him in a manner
befitting such a great occasion.
The approach to the harbour of Maskat from the open sea offers to the
traveller a panorama which nature has endowed with an exceeding picturesque-
ness of a rugged type all its own. Apart from this valuable asset the town
lends itself with difficulty to any embellishment, but so far as its limited
possibilities allowed, His Highness spared no effort to satisfy himself that the
town and approaches should at all events look their best and in this regard it
was also gratifying to remark the readiness with which the Maskat public
responded and did their best, each according to his lights, to put their houses in
order.
It was about 10 on the morning of the 18th November 1903 that the fine
R.I.M S. Hardinge bearing Their Excellencies, escorted by five men-of-war of
the East India Squadron appeared in the offing and the vessels presented a
truly imposing spectacle as they approached the mouth of the harbour from
the north. The Sultan's flag was saluted with 21 guns as the flotilla came
abreast of the signalling tower and gun for gun was returned by the Maskat
Battery.
As soon as the ships had taken up their billets a further salvo of 31 guns
was fired as a welcome to His Excellency the Viceroy. The Sultan's Palace,
his steamer, the Noor-ul-Bahr, the Forts Jalali and Merani, were profusely
decorated with bunting and at His Highness's wish, in order to place in special
evidence the community of interests and sentiments which bind the two
Governments, the flag-staffs of the Sultan's Palace and the British Consulate
were linked together by a graceful arc of bunting 300 yards in length. The
French and American Consulates were also dressed as well as several of the
chief buildings in the town.
Shortly after the ships had dropped anchor, a deputation from the Sultan,
headed by His Highness's brother, Seyyid Mahomed bin Turki, and consisting
of
Seyyid Taimoor-bin-Faisal,
Seyyid Mahomed-bin-Azzan,
Seyyid Badr-bin-Saif,
Seyyid Mahomed-bin-Nasi,
proceeded on board the Sardinge to convey the Sultan's compliments. A
metrical welcome in Arabic was read by one of the deputation, which with
drew after the usual inquiries after Their Excellencies' health, Seyyid Maho
med receiving a salute of 13 guns.
Shortly after they had reached the shore His Highness the Sultan em-
barked in person to visit the Viceroy accompanied by his suite and by the
About this item
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Administration Report on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. 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. and Maskat [Muscat] Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. for 1903-1904, published by the Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, India (Calcutta), forming part of the Selections from the Records of the Government of India, Foreign Department, and based on reports sent to Government by the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and 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. at Muscat. Folios 165 and 166 are copies of notes, dated 18 April 1904 and 18 May 1904 respectively, sent by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Arnold Kemball, Officiating Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and Captain William George Grey, His Britannic Majesty’s Consul and 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. , Muscat, to Louis William Dane, Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department, submitting their respective annual administration reports.
The Administration Report is organised as follows:
1. General Summary submitted by Kemball (folios 167-69), including reports on: the year’s rainfall and harvest; the governorship of Bushire and Gulf ports; public health, with details of outbreaks of cholera and plague; settlement of claims; the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon’s visit to the Gulf, including details of the itinerary; the British Minister at the Court of the Shah of Persia’s visit to the Gulf; and the postal service. The General Summary also includes summaries for towns and regions, as follows: Oman and Muscat; Oman and the Pirate Coast, with an assessment of the pearling season, incidents of piracy and tribal relations; Bahrain [referred to as Bahrain], with an assessment of the pearling season; El Hassa [Al-Hasa] and El Katif [Al-Qaṭīf]; Koweit [Kuwait] and Nejd, with an update of the struggle between Abdul Rahman bin Feysul el Saood [Ibn Sa‘ūd] and the Emir of Nejd, Ibn Rashīd; Persian Arabistan; Fars and the Persian Coast, with separate routes from Shiraz, Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh], and Bunder Abbas [Bandar-e ʻAbbās]; Persian Baluchistan; the slave trade, including numbers of slaves manumitted; incidents of piracy; movements of British naval vessels; reports on changes in British officials; and visits made by foreign representatives. An appendix to part 1 (folios 168-70) comprises statistical tables with meteorological data for the region.
2. Administration Report of the Muscat Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , 1903-04 , submitted by Grey (folios 170-77), including an account of the tribal politics of Oman; a detailed account of Lord Curzon’s visit to Muscat, including copies of the addresses presented to Lord Curzon by the community of British subjects and other British protected persons in Muscat, and Sultan Seyyd Faisal [Sa‘id Fayṣal], and Curzon’s replies to each. The report also includes details of the Resident’s visit to Muscat; political tours made by the Muscat Agent; administration of customs; Gwadur [Gwadar] customs; arms trafficking; health; law; building work in Muscat; improvements to the coal depot at Makullah cove; marine incidents, principally the wrecking of the French steamship Amiral Gueydon ; naval movements at Muscat; the slave trade, including numbers of slaves manumitted at Muscat; and changes to official personnel at Muscat.
3. Report on the Trade and Commerce of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. for the Year 1903 , submitted by Kemball (folios 178-87), including general remarks on trade, and more detailed remarks on customs tariffs; imports and exports; tea; indigo; exchange; freight and shipping. Two appendices to part 3 contain tabular data on the value and quantities of imports and exports into Bushire and other Gulf ports, as well as data on the numbers, tonnage and nationality of visiting vessels.
4. Trade Report for Muscat, 1903-1904 , submitted by Grey (folios 187-91), containing details on imports and exports at Muscat, and followed by an appendix with trade statistics.
5. Report on the Trade of Mohammerah [Khorramshahr] for the Year 1903 , submitted by William McDouall, His Britannic Majesty’s Vice-Consul, Mohammerah (folios 190-92) with summaries on: exchange; shipping; caravan routes; and agriculture. An appendix follows the report, containing trade data in tabular format.
6. Trade Report of Bundar Abbas [Bandar-e ʻAbbās] for the Year 1903 , submitted by Arthur Prescott Trevor, His Britannic Majesty’s Vice-Consul, Bandar-e ʻAbbās (folios 193-96), with summaries on: openings for British trade; mistakes made by British traders and their foreign competitors; the progress of rival trade; obstacles to trade; changes to trade tariffs; communications; exchange; and shipping. An appendix follows the report, containing trade data in tabular format.
7. Report on the Trade of the Bahrein Islands for the Year 1903 , submitted by John Calcott Gaskin, Assistant 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. , dated 9 January 1904 (folios 196-99), with details on: cotton, rice and coffee imports; lantern manufacture in Bahrain; assessment of the pearling season; the oyster shell export trade; boatbuilding activity; exchange; and shipping. An appendix follows the report, containing tabular data on the principal imports and export at Bahrain.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (37 folios)
- Arrangement
The report is arranged into a number of parts and subheadings, with statistic data in tabular format directly following written sections. There is a contents page at the front of the report (. 164) which lists the report’s contents, referring to the report’s own pagination sequence. Some statistical tables (ff. 197-99) are arranged on the page in landscape format.
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- Reference
- IOR/V/23/82, No 412
- Title
- ‘Administration Report on the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Maskat Political Agency for 1903-1904’
- Pages
- front, front-i, 162r:199v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence