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‘Report on the administration of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muscat Political Agency for 1885-86.’ [‎55r] (23/120)

The record is made up of 1 volume (57 folios). It was created in 1886. 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 1885-86.
21
; M
PART 11.
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 1885-86.
Political. —At the commencement of the official year, tranquillity reigned throughout the
country.
In April the Sultan's Waliof Zikki suffered a reverse at the hands of Hilal-bin-Zahir near
Fark) a fortlet in the possession of Hilal-bin-Zahir, the inhabitants of which place, it was said,
proposed to hand over the fort to the Wali of Zikki, who had therefore marched to Fark to
take it over; but was engaged by Hilal, defeated, and forced to retire on Manh.
The district of Jaalan was also reported to be somewhat disturbed, and an attack was made
by the Beni-bu Hassan on Sineysileh near Sur, in which one of the Beni Sinan was killed.
In May, the fortress of Behla (Wali Nasir-bin-Hameid-el-Ghafri) was besieged by Sheik
Salim-bin Bedr-el-Ibu in conjunction with the Yaarabeh, but being too weak to take it, they
soon raised the siege.
In June, news was received that an insurrection had taken place at Dhofar, which was
confirmed in October by the Wali Ali-bin Suleiman together with the Arab garrison coming to
Muscat; they having been expelled by the inhabitants of Dhofar, from whom, however, letters
were at the same time received, in which their friendship for, and allegiance to, His Highness
Sayid Turki was expressed, while stating that they had been unable to endure the oppression
of his Wali.
In July, it was rumoured that Sayid Abdul Aziz, the Sultan's brother, intended to attack
Muscat after the Ramazan fast was over, but he was unable to collect a sufficient force for the
purpose, and the intended movement collapsed. In the same month the Beni Hina were
attacked by the A.wamir, with whom they were at feud, in the vicinity of Sib, and three of
their number killed; they retaliated by destroying some $20,000 worth of date property
belonging to the Awamir at Khoth; upon which the Awamir, assisted by the Wali of Masnaa,
Ali-bin-Salim A1 Amiri, and the Wali of Barka, Saui-bin Khanis-al-Amiri, again attacked the
Beni Hina, but were repulsed with a loss of 7 killed. On the news reaching Muscat," His
Highness Sayid Turki sent his son, Sayid Feysul, to Sib to enquire, into the matter; but
before his arrival a truce for one year had been arranged by the Sheiks of Semael.
In August, Sayids Feysul and Fahd proceeded in the S. S. Bar es Salam to Sur to
endeavour to obtain payment of certain customs duty from the Jenebeh, but were unsuccessful.
In the same month, a party of Mokabil raided the district of Majaz near Sohar and lifted
some camels, but were promptly followed and reduced to submission by the Wali of Sohar
(Hamad-bin-Nasir).
In September, a serious collision occurred between the Beni Ghafir and Ibriyin in Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows.
Sahtani, in which 25 of the former and 45 of the latter were killed.
In November, a man was killed at Kuriyat by a party of Beni Battash,for which deed the
tribe agreed to pay blood-money. In this month a serious collision occurred in the Sharkiyeh
between the Mesakereh on the one side, and the Harth, Hijrieen Rejeybi and al Wahibah on
the other, in which 60 or 70 men were killed. Ali-bin-Salim al Amiri was despatched by His
Highness the Sultan to mediate between the parties, in which mission he was successful.
In December 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. (Colonel Miles) made an interesting tour of 20 days
through Oman and the Dhahireh country, and was received everywhere with great courtesy
and cordiality.
In January 1886, His Highness Sayid Turki was informed that Her Majesty had been
graciously pleased to create him a K.G.C.S.I. In the same month an attempt was made to
assassinate the Minister, Sayid Said-bin-Muhammad, who was wounded in the Ishoulder by
a pistol-bullet; the would be-assassin escaped, but several slaves were arrested on suspicion.
The occurrence was taken advantage of by Sayid Abdul Aziz to indite a letter to the Minister,
in which he endeavoured to seduce him from his allegiance to His Highness Sayid Turki.
In the same month the Khoja traders of Khabureh complained of oppression at the hands
of the Wali of Sohar; the matter was enquired into 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. and redress obtained.
Slave Trade. —There were two seizures made during the year by Her Majesty's vessels
cruising in these waters, viz., Her Majesty's S. Osprey, one dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. with 72 slaves, seized off Ras
Madraka; Her Majesty's S. Ranger, a dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. with 2 slaves, captured off Sur; both of which
were condemned.
E. MOCKLER, Lieut.-Colonel,
H. B. M.'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, Muscat,
British Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
and Consulate, Muscat;
The 28th June 1886.
■I
I

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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 1885-86, published by Authority by the Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta [Kolkata]. A copy of a letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Barrett Miles, 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 Her Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General for Fars, to Henry Mortimer Durand, Secretary to the Government of India (Foreign Department), dated 17 June 1886, is included in the report (folio 46), the original of which submitted the report to Government, under the following headings:

Part 1 ( General Summary, folios 47-54), containing summaries of local political affairs, and incidents or events of particular note for: the ‘Pirate coast of Oman’; Bahrain (spelt as Bahrein throughout); Nejd, El-Hasa [Al-Hasa] and El-Katr [Qatar]; Fars, including Bushire, Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh], Bassidore (mistakenly spelt Rassidore in the heading), and Bunder Abbass [Bandar-e ʻAbbās]; Persian Arabistan; and Persian Baluchistan. The report also records a marked increase in the slave trade to the Gulf from Africa, due to the departure of HMS London from Zanzibar; summaries of changes in official personnel; British naval movements in the Gulf; and a summary of meteorological events observed at the Bushire observatory, including a severe gale which caused extensive damage to ports and towns throughout the Gulf. Appendix A contains tabulated and graphical meteorological data for the year, supplied by the Bushire observatory. Appendix B is a report entitled ‘A résumé of what has been done in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. as regards to the introduction of the Arabian date-palm in India’ 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. .

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 1885-86 ), submitted by Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Mockler, 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 28 June 1886 (folios 55-58), containing a summary of affairs at Muscat, and an additional short report on the seizure of slave traders in Muscat waters during the course of the year. Appendix A is a set of notes written on a tour through Oman and El-Dhahireh [Adh-Dhahirah] in December 1885 by Miles.

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 1885 ), written by Miles, dated 17 June 1886 (folios 59-92), comprising a short summary of the year’s trade, with notes on: exports (cereals, opium and tobacco); imports (Manchester goods, copper, sugar, naphtha and asbestos); shipping; exchange; the pearl trade. Appendix A comprises tabulated data on import, exports and revenue, in the Gulf ports of Bushire, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e ʻAbbās, Bahrain and the Arab (Oman) coast. An index to the trade tables can be found at folio 60.

Part 4 (

[at Muscat]), by Mockler (folios 92-102), comprising a short summary of the year’s trade at Muscat, and also containing tabulated data on imports and exports at Muscat (listed by commodity), and the nationality and average tonnage of vessels visiting Muscat. Appendix A that follows the report is a note on the weights and measures used in the pearl trade of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , written by Mockler.

Extent and format
1 volume (57 folios)
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 45, and ends on the last folio, on number 102.

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 Residency and Muscat Political Agency for 1885-86.’ [‎55r] (23/120), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/V/23/49, No 220, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023581614.0x000019> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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