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‘Administration report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muscat Political Agency for 1888-89.’ [‎51v] (11/60)

The record is made up of 1 volume (29 folios). It was created in 1889. 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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ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. POLITICAL
43. But in May a body of about 600 men, under Khaleefah bin Za'eed, son
of the Beniyas Chief, arrived in the vicinity of El-Bidaa. The men of El-Bidaa
appear to have sallied out to meet the invaders in scattered detachments, with
out order or discipline, and a feint retreat of the enemy led them into an
ambush, when they were attacked and put to rout, losing 34i men killed, includ
ing Ali-bin-Jasim, and having many wounded. Shaikh Jasim was not present
during the fight, being at his residence, Dha'ayan, and only arrived at El-Bidaa
when the affair was over.
44. Between anger and grief, Shaikh Jasim became well-nigh distraught,
and gave his whole mind to compassing his revenge upon the Abu-Dhabbi Chief
and people. He addressed letters and messages to the Turkish authorities of
Basrah and Hasa, appealing to their sense of honour, and pointing out the ad
vantages they might reap from an invasion of 'Oman. He also wrote to certain
persons in Constantinople in the same sense, and applied to the powerful Chief
of Jebel Shammar, Mahomed Ibn Rasheed, commonly known as " Ibn Rasheed, ,,
for assistance against Shaikh Za'eed. Shaikh Jasim also commenced to spend
money freely in purchase of arms, provisions, and in subsidizing Arab tribes.
45. It appeared at first that these measures would lead to important
results. The action of the Porte and Turkish local authorities cannot be stated,
but " Ibn Rasheed " freely promised to lead or despatch a force into 'Oman,
and his advance in the cool weather was fully expected. It is probable that
the communications made by Her Majesty's Government to the Porte led to
the abandonment of the project. At all events Shaikh Jasim's sanguine hopes
have ended so far in disappointment, and he has been unable to strike any
signal blow at Abu-Dhabbi. In Eebruary of this year, indeed, Jasim led a
raiding expedition and succeeded in surprising some unfortunate Arabs, said to
be dependants of Shaikh Za'eed, at Leewah, and a number of these, including
some women and children, were put to the sword in a very merciless and bar
barous manner.
46. The Beniyas of course prepared to despatch a retaliatory expedition,
but hitherto no serious engagements have occurred.
47. In 1888 the Sublime Porte addressed a complaint to Her Majesty's
Government regarding the coercive measures adopted against Shaikh Jasim to
obtain redress for his ill-treatment of British subjects, &c. In reply, the Porte
was informed that Her Majesty's Government approved of the proceedings in
question, and could not admit the right of the Porte to interfere in the matter.
48. During the summer of 1888 the Turkish detachment at El-Bidaa was
increased to about 250 regular infantry, and a Turkish steam-launch has been
placed at that port.
49. Two serious irregularities by sea occurred, off the coast of El-Katr: One
was the plunder of a Bahrain vessel close to El-Bidaa, and the other the deli
berate murder of two men of the tribe Amamerah, residents of Bahrain, by a
num er of the Al-bu-Kawarah tribe of El-Katr, in pursuance of a blood feud.
The piracy case was settled between the Chief of Bahrain and Shaikh Jasim on
their coming to a friendly understanding, but the Al-bu-Kawarah have still to
be brought to account.
50. In October 1 proceeded to El-Bidaa in Her Majesty's Ship Sphinx,
an f an ^ n ^ erv i ew with Shaikh Jasim, who seemed chiefly intent upon
neutrart^ ^ ^ )ll "-^kabbi, but promised to respect the maritime peace and
«/ *
5.—NEJD AND EI,-HASA.
ancm- 51 * In ^ he rep0rt for tlle P recedi ng year it was stated that, under the
auspices and support of Mahomed Ibn Rasheed, Amir of Jebel Shammar,

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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 Muscat Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. (no 265, Foreign Department serial no 25) for the year 1888-89, published by Authority and printed by the Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta [Kolkata]. A copy of a letter from 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. and Her Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General for Fars, to Henry Mortimer Durand, Secretary to the Government of India (Foreign Department), dated 21 June 1889, is included in the report (folio 48), the original of which submitted the report to Government, under the following headings:

Part 1 ( General Summary ), submitted by Ross and dated 21 June 1889 (folios 49-57), containing numbered summaries of local political affairs, and incidents or events of particular note for: 1) Oman and Muscat state; 2) Oman pirate coast, including Ras-el-Khaimah [Ra’s al-Khaymah], Umm-el-Kawain [Umm al-Qaywayn], ’Ajman, Shargah, Debaye [Dubai], and Abu-Dhabbi [Abu Dhabi]; 3) El-Bahrain; 4) El-Katr [Qatar]; 5) Nejd and El-Hasa [Al-Hasa]; 6) Fars and the Persian Coast; 7) Persian Arabistan; and 8) Persian Baluchistan. Summaries of official appointments, naval movements, slave trade activity and climatic observations taken at the observatory at Bushire conclude the report. Appendix A is entitled ‘Notes on the “Ibn Rasheed” family of Jebel Shammer, and present position of Mohammed “Ibn Rasheed”’, with a genealogical table of the Rasheed dynasty. Appendix B is a translation of the Shah of Persia’s proclamation of 1888. Appendix C is a copy of the regulations for the navigation of the river Karun. Appendix D contains tabulated meteorological data for the year, supplied by the Bushire observatory.

Part 2 ( Annual Report of the Muscat Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. and Consulate for the Year 1888-89 ), submitted by Lieutenant Wallace Stratton, 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, containing a summary of affairs at Muscat (folios 58-59), under the headings: political affairs, official changes, and slave trade.

Part 3 ( Report on the Trade of South Persia and Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. for the Year 1888 ), submitted by Ross (folios 60-69). The report comprises a short summary of the year’s trade, with notes on: produce, including grain, opium, tobacco, gum and wool; steamers and freights; imports, including cotton goods, copper, loaf sugar, and petroleum; banking agencies; the opening of the river Karun to navigation; and the pearl fisheries. Appendix A comprises tabulated data on import, exports and revenue, in the Gulf ports and towns of Bushire, Shiraz, Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh], Bunder Abbass [Bandar-e ʻAbbās], Bahrain and the Arab coast. An index to the trade tables can be found at folio 61v.

Part 4 ( Muscat trade report for the year 1888-89 ), submitted by Stratton and dated 17 May 1889 (folios 70-75), comprising a brief 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.

Extent and format
1 volume (29 folios)
Arrangement

The report is arranged into four numbered parts, with lettered appendices containing further reports and statistical data following each part. The General Summary is further organised into numbered sections, and further divided into paragraphs which are also numbered, from 1 to 102.

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 48, and ends on the last folio, on number 75.

Pagination: The volume contains an original typed pagination sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
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‘Administration report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muscat Political Agency for 1888-89.’ [‎51v] (11/60), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/V/23/56, No 259, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023626733.0x00000c> [accessed 27 July 2024]

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