‘Administration Report on the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Maskat Political Agency for 1896-97 (Foreign Dept serial no. 92). Calcutta: Supt. Govt. Printing, 1897 & Appendices to the Administration Report on the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Maskat Political Agency for 1896-97’ [‎224v] (16/31)

14 ADMINISTRATION REPORT ON THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL
In the month of January of the present year, the Sultan, having decided
to attempt to regain possession of his lost province, solicited the assistance of
a British vessel^of war with a view to enable him to carry out his design.
Government having agreed conditionally to this request, 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. ,
together with His Highness Seyyid Mahomed-bin-Turki and Seyyid Hamed
bin-Nasir, left for Dhofar in the Indian Government vessel Lawrence,
H M. S. Cossack which had been placed at the disposal of Government for
the purpose also proceeded to Dhofar. The Sultan's troops numbering about
400 men advanced to Hafa inhabited by the friendly Shanafareh, and after
parleying with the rebels for some days, Seyyid Mahomed-bin-Turki, acting
upon the advice of Colonel Wilson, accepted the submission of the A1 Kathir
upon the terms offered, and the flags which the rebels had hoisted were
hauled down, and various forts in their possession were handed over to the
Sultan's troops. Seyyid Hamed-bin-Nasir was left as Governor temporarily
until Sheikh Suleiman-bin-Suweilim, the Sultan's nominee, arrived. Without
recourse to absolute force the Sultan thus regained one of his outlying
provinces which had been in a state of rebellion for some eighteen months.
The proceeds of this tax, which His Highness imposed upon those tribes
responsible for the losses incurred by
Punitive Tax on tbe Rebel tubes. British and other foreign subjects during
the rebellion in 1895, has not, for various causes, reached the estimate which
was originally formed. During the past year a sum of about $20,000, repre
senting 20 months* collection, was paid to the Consulate for distribution
amongst the claimants.
With a view to obtaining better results the contract for the collection of
the tax has been farmed out for a sum of $15,000 per annum, and it appears
therefore that a period of five years will be requisite since its first imposition
for the proceeds of the tax to meet all claims.
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. visited Maskat in January in order to discuss
various questions with the Sultan. He
General
again visited Maskat in March upon the
occasion of the Dhofar expedition.
Owing to the prevalence of the plague in Bombay and Karachi, His High-
ness decided to impose a quarantine of nine days against these ports. Up to
the time of writing this measure has had the effect of keeping the disease out
of the country.
Maskat was visited during the year under report by Her Majesty's ships
, T Brisk, Lapwing, Sphinx, Redbreast and
Cossack.
Foreign navies were represented by the French gunboat Surprise.
In the month of May, there being no vessel of war upon the station, the
siave Trade 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. had to personally seize a
slave vessel with 28 slaves on board when
some little distance off Maskat. A few days afterwards, H. M. S. Lapwing
arrived and within a few T hours of her arrival was enabled to seize a slave vessel
with 14 slaves on board. Three days after the first capture, above noted, a
further capture of a vessel with two row-slaves was made by the Sultan
at Jisser, upon information given to His Highness by the Consulate. In
September of the year under report, H. M. S. Sphinx brought in two vessels
flying French colours, for the purpose of verification of their colours by the
French Consulate here. The right of the vessels to their colours was found to
be correct, but upon examination by the French authority, the vessels were
found to have about 175 slaves on board, and were accordingly detained.