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‘Report on the administration of the Persian Gulf Political Agency and Muscat Political Agency for the year 1883-84.’ [‎46r] (31/166)

The record is made up of 1 volume (87 folios). It was created in 1884. 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. .

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EESIDENCY AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. FOR 1883-84. 29
February for Pemba and Zanzibar, where the Governor, however, SaW-bin-Muhammed El
Akhabari (styled by Owen Seyyid Larkbree), refused to surrender Pemba, which had, been a
dependency of Mombasa previous to present hostilities. Captain Owen revisited the coast in
January 18£5, when the people of Brava also solicited British protection, which was accorded
to them He then made an arrangement with the Wali at Zanzibar that no interference
should take place on the Wali's part with the East African coasts until the decision of Govern
ment became known.
In 1826 Suliman-bin-Ali was deposed by Salim, the brother of the late Wali, Abdulla-
bin-Ahmed, the British Governor not interfering in the matter, and shortly after the Home
authorities,'at the instance of the Indian Government, disavowed Captain Owen's proceedings,
and the British Commandant was removed from Mombasa, which was left with Pemba and
Brava to settle its own quarrel with Sa'eed. Sa'eed lost no time in writing to Salim and sum-
monino- him to surrender. Salim in reply offered to acknowledge a nominal sway and to
remit tribute, but refused to yield the fort. This did not satisfy Sa'eed, who, having completed
his preparations, sailed in the Liverpool with a large fleet and 1,200 men from Muscat, expectant
of an easy victory. The sight of this imposing force riding at anchor before his little
island did not terrify Salim; he refused defiantly Speed's demand for submission, and declined
to accept his invitation to an interview. He was prepared for defence. A general assault was
then made by Sa'eed, but it was repulsed with heavy loss, and after several ineffectual attempts
Sa'eed deemed it prudent to raise the siege and retire to Zanzibar. In the meanwhile serious
disorders were taking place in 'Oman. Incensed at her brother's imprisonment, Jokha, the
sister of Hilal, seized the fort at Soweyk and razed the Batineh. Hamud also joined in the
insurrection, made himself master of Sohar, Khabooreh, and Shinas, and prepared to march
on Muscat.' Mohammed-bin-Salim, seriously alarmed, sent a vessel to recall Sa'eed from
Zanzibar and appealed to Bombay for help. Two cruisers were ordered to support him and to
prevent an attack being made on Muscat. The Resident also kept other vessels ready and
warned Hamud not to attempt an attack. Sa'eed returned to 'Oman in May 1830, and with
his usual duplicity pretended to think that the rebellion had been of an insignificant character,
and that he had been recalled without reason. He was unable, however, to recover either
Sohar or Khabooreh from Hamud, and had to content himself with the restitution of Shinas.
Another expedition against Sohar, in February 1831, was undertaken by Sa eed, but he was
disastrously defeated by Hamud with a loss of 400 or 500 men, and had to retreat with his
finances and reputation reduced to a very low ebb. Early in the next year Sa'eed having
entrusted the government of 'Oman to his eldest son Hilal, his nephew, Mohammed-bin-Salim,
and Saood-bin-Ali of Barka, set out on a fresh expedition to East Africa in the Liverpool with
the intention of again besieging Mombasa. His force consisted of 1,400 men in four ships
and six bughlos, and, having on arrival wasted three days in fruitless negociations, commenced
to bombard the town and forts. This proved unavailing, and negociations were again resorted
to Salim, on receiving hostages, came on board the Liverpool, and a convention was concluded
to the effect that Salim should recognise Sa'eed's sovereignty, and should continue to hold the
governorship as hereditary in his family, that he should also hold and reside in the fort, which
was however, to be garrisoned by 50 men, appointed by Sa'eed, and that the .customs should
be equally divided between Sa'eed and Salim. Sa'eed then entered and formally took possession
of the fort, and appointed Sa 'eed-bin-Khalfan as Akeed, or Commandant.
Instead of 50, however, he introduced a garrison of 200 men, and then peifidiously
ordered Salim to quit the fort and reside in the town. Before leaving, he repaired the fort
and stationed a garrison of 350 men, Beloochis and Arabs, in it, and then set sail for Zanzibar.
Sa'eed appears to have already resolved to fix his residence at Zanzibar, for he began to build
a palace at Metony and to lay out clove and rice plantations. Bat he was not destined to
enjoy tranquillity there long. He had, in fact, no sooner left Muscat than disturbances of a
serious character broke out, and the integrity of his dominions was threatened. These disturb
ances were due chiefly to harem intrigues, and to the existing jealousy between Saood-bin-Ali
and Mohammed -bin-Salim. Taking advantage of the arrival of Hilal and Mohammed at
Barka, whither they had proceeded en route to Bostak, which had been made over to Hilal,
Saood seized and imprisoned the pair, and then laid siege to Mesnaah. Hamud-bin-Azzan,
Hilalbin- Mohammed, and Sultan-bin-Sakar also took up arms, the last seizing Khor Fakan and
Dibba, and the two former beleaguering Rostak. The Seyyideh Moza took the lead on Sa'eed 's
part, and was joined by Talib and Mohammed Nasir El Jabri, with 1 ,500 Ghaffiris, at Muscat,
while the Beni Naeem at their request made a diversion against Sohar. To support Sa'eed's
rule the Resident at Bushire wrote warning letters to the insurgent, and despatched his

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Content

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 Muscat Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. for the year 1883-84, by Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Charles Ross, 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. , published by Authority by the Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta [Kolkata]. A copy of a letter from Ross to Charles Grant, Secretary to the Government of India (Foreign Department), dated 17 July 1884, is included in the report (folio 33), the original of which submitted the report to Government, under the following headings:

Part 1 ( General Report ), written by Ross (folios 34-39), containing summaries of local political affairs, and incidents or events of particular note for: Oman and the Pirate Coast; Bahrain; Nejd, El-Hasa [Al-Hasa] and El-Katr [Qatar]; Fars, including Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh] and Bunder Abbass [Bandar-e ʻAbbās], and the coast between Bushire and Bandar-e Lengeh; Persian Arabistan; Persian Beloochistan [Baluchistan] and Gwadur; and Bassidore. The report also contains summaries of changes in official personnel (referred to as political establishment); British naval movements in the Gulf; and a summary of meteorological events observed at the Bushire observatory. Appendix A contains tabulated and graphical meteorological data for the year, supplied by the Bushire observatory.

Part 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. for the year 1883-84 ), submitted by Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Barrett Miles, Her Britannic Majesty’s 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. and Consul at Muscat, dated 9 June 1884 (folios 40-50), containing a summary of affairs at Muscat, including raids and fighting around Muscat in October 1884, between rebel forces and those allied to the Sultan of Muscat. The report also records changes to British official personnel at Muscat, and notes recent shipwrecks on the Muscat coast. Appendix A is a biographical sketch, written by Miles, of Sayyid Sa'eed-bin-Sultan, the Imam of Muscat.

Part 3 ( Report on Trade for the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. for 1883 , folios 50-105), comprising a short summary of the year’s trade, and followed by two appendices, labelled A and B, but arranged in reverse order: B) Supplementary notes on the care and culture of date trees and fruit, written by A. R. Hakim, Assistant to 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. ; A) tabulated data on trade, including data on imports and exports into and out of the Gulf ports of Bushire, Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh], Bunder Abbass [Bandar-e ʻAbbās], Bahrain and the Arab (Oman) coast. An index to the trade tables can be found at folios 53-54.

Part 4 (

[at Muscat]), submitted by Miles, dated 9 June 1884 (folios 105-12), comprising a short summary of the year’s trade at Muscat, and an appendix containing tabulated data on imports and exports at Muscat (listed by commodity), and the nationality and average tonnage of vessels visiting Muscat.

Extent and format
1 volume (87 folios)
Arrangement

The report is arranged into four numbered parts, with lettered appendices containing further reports and statistical data after each. Two appendices following part two of the report are labelled in reverse order (B then A, instead of A then B).

Physical characteristics

Foliation: There is a foliation sequence, which is circled in pencil, in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. It begins on the first folio, on number 32, and ends on the last folio, on number 112.

Pagination: The volume contains an original typed pagination sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
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‘Report on the administration of the Persian Gulf Political Agency and Muscat Political Agency for the year 1883-84.’ [‎46r] (31/166), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/V/23/45, No 198, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023580328.0x000021> [accessed 8 October 2024]

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