File 4684/1913 'Pt 1 Muscat rebellion' [‎87r] (182/332)

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Telegram P., No. 83, dated the 15th (received 10th) April 1914,
From—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. , Maskat,
To—-The Foreign Secretary, Simla.
Reference my telegrams Nos. 81 and 82, dated the 13th and 14th April,
respectively. I arrived at Kuriyat yesterday. His Highness the Sultan had
arrived some hours earlier and told me that on his arrival the Banibattash
had opened fire upon him from three positions : viz., from the fort in the town,
from Saad and from the island in the harbour, and that they had only desisted
on sighting man-of-war. Certain local inhabitants who, while professing
loyalty, had joined the Banibattash and had sheltered them and refused
to support Wali and had encouraged the burning of the habitations of the
Baluchis. With the exception of the fort in which Wali and 400 Baluchis
had taken refuge, the whole town had been occupied by enemy who had
set up white standard. His Highness on my arrival despatched orders to
the rebels to surrender and to send within an hour their headmen to him,
and intimating to them that their positions would be shelled if they did not
obey the orders. There being no indication of compliance after an hour
and-a-half Sultan came on board the man-of-war and at His Highness’s
request His Majesty’s ship “Dartmouth” demolished the fort and other posi
tions pointed out by Sultan and shelled the island. Rebels together with
above-mentioned disloyal inhabitants fled, thus His Highness’s" troops and
besieged. Sultan afterwards landed a party to clear island under search-light
of man-of-war, but found that it was not occupied. His Highness then ,
signalled that ho was leaving immediately for Sur and did not require any
further assistance and would return as soon as possible to Maskat. Sultan
appeared anxious about the position at Sur. His Highness had no details up
to the time of his departure of results of afternoon’s operations. Prior to
bombardments of Barka and Kiiriyat there were, and as a matter of fact there
still are, persistent reports of intention of Shaikh tiarayar to make an attack
on Matra and of Banibattash to make an attack on Maskat and though these
operations will without doubt have a deterrent effect, this may be only tem
porary, and in ray opinion it behoves us to take measures of a precautionary
nature having special regard to the spread of disaffection amongst Maskat 1
subjects which is generally reported, and the fact that rebels are now better
situafed to attack than they were in 1913. Officer Commanding at Baitalfalaj
whom I have consulted tells me that if enemy are at all enterprising, he would
only be able to hold Matra and safeguard his own stores and that he should
he relieved of any picqueting duty beyond Ruwd. I concur in his opinion
and suggest that a double company should be ordered here to reinforce present
numbers and that two warships should be deputed as a temporary measure for
duty exclusively on this coast between Sur and Sohar, if this arrangement can
he conveniently carried out.
Addressed to Bushire; repeated to Naval Commander-in-Chief.
India, Forek
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