'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎331] (350/622)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
331
afforded. The Imaum returned to Muscat on the 10th of
September, "and," says Captain Kemball, u the demonstration
made in his Highness's favour by the visit of the British vessels
of war to the coast of Batnah, and their appearance at Muscat,
was undoubtedly attended with highly beneficial consequences
to the interests of his Highness." Indeed so weak was the
hold of our ally upon Oman at this time that, according to the
same high authority, it was only the timely assistance thus
afforded that " prevented his immediate downfall."
In 1836, Seyyid Said again attacked Humood* at Sohar. in
conjunction with the Wahabee general of Faisul,t who had
shortly before succeeded to power as Wahabee Ameer; but,
hearing of the treacherous intentions of his ally, he relinquished
the siege, and, says the native historian of Oman, a cruiser of
the Indian Navy brought Humood to Muscat, who gave 64 a
written promise that he would not stir up strife against the
Seyyid and his children" during the absence of the Imaum at
Zanzibar.
In the year 1845, when his Highness was absent at Zanzibar, J
having left affairs in the hands of his son, Seyyid Toweynee,
a weak and irresolute prince, Muscat was on the point of sur
rendering to a Wahabee army, when the squadron made its
appearance off the Batnah coast, and, though not participating
in the hostilities, " manifested the interest felt by the English
in their ally the Imaum." This intervention, coupled with the
promise by Seyyid Toweynee, of the payment of an annual
tribute of 5,000 German crowns, which his father had
sanctioned, brought about a cessation of hostilities and the
withdrawal of the forces of the Wahabee leader, who, in reply
to a communication from the Resident, expressed his great
friendship for the British Government.
Again, in 1852, on the departure of Seyyid Said for Zanzibar,
the Wahabee Ameer sent his son, Abdullah, demanding the
cession of Sohar and the payment of a preposterous tribute;
and had it not been for the intervention of the British Resident
and the presence of a sloop-of-war, the chiefs of Sohar and the
* About 1850, Humood, by an act of treachery, fell into the hands of his
cousin, who confined him in Muscat, where he died shortly after, probably of
starvation, according to the custom in Oman.
t When the Egyptian army overran the whole province of Nedjd in
1838, Faisul surrendered himself a prisoner, but returned to Riadh in 1843,
"when he re-established his power, but addressed letters to the chiefs of Oman and
the British Resident in the Persian Grulf, expressing a desire for the renewal of
t le amicable relations that existed between his father, Toorkee, and the British
Orovernment.
^ 1 j Qaum his residence principally at Zanzibar after the year
. In April, 1840, Captain Hamerton, of the 15th Bombay Native Infantry,
Tvas appointed first 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; subsequently he was appointed
onsul by the Home G-overnment, and proceeded to Zanzibar, where he con
tinued to reside up to his death in 1857.