Coll 20/1 'Muscat: Financial Situation: Budget Estimates, etc.' [‎329r] (657/732)

i*ior to oaiyid TailIaIr , a aoceBalon#GoTarit^ent* a attitude waa tnat^they
would view with satisfaction the succession in Oanan of one of the des»
-Cendants of Saiyid ^aid provided he were capable of preserving inter-
-nal order# conducting the (Government of the State and upholding the
existing relations between Muscat and the British Government but that
the succession must be settled by the Chiefs and people of the country*
(foreign Secretary to Resident No* 1354dated 25th June Idol)*
In Gather word8^,Government recognized the de facto ruler after he had
succeeded in establishing himself* , ,
In the case of Saiyid faimur#the position waa soiaewhat different*
The tribes both Hinawi and Ghafiri were in rebellion ostensibly Rowing
to the Arms arehouse#and we were forced to recognize nir/even though
he had not succeeded in establishing himself with the interior trices#
aith the formation of a separate administration in tne interior#the
position remains the same to*day#
It seems tc me tnat to introduce a system of election which has
been in abeyance for close on a hundred and i'ii ty yeax*s would be a-
dangerous innovation whilst to call upon the various members of trie
sultan*s family to establish themselves by force of arms seems equall
unthinicable• At best it could merely result in a process of olimineti
by assasination such as is taking place at Abu Dhabi* Presuhhpiy ail
we could do would be to satisfy ourselves that baiyid Bald is the tax
most suitable candidate and the one whose succession is most liicely
to commend itself to the right minded portion of tne population* Of
this I think there can be little doubt*He Is already acknowledged as
ixoir apparent throughout the Bultanate whilst ne is being addressee!
as such by Isa bin Saleh who is avowedly well disposed towards him#
The administration of the country is being carried out at presen
by a Council of Ministers who might be said to be the equivalent of
a Council of Regency* balyid baid is now the jrresid^nt of tnis Coun-
-cil#virtually acting as Regent for his father*
At the end of next year#the possible date of the sultans abdi-
-cation# baiyid Raid will have been acting as ^resident of the ^.oun*
-cil for 18 months and will be approaching his 21st birthday*
Wingate*s proposal appears to have been applicable in 1920 when
*
Saiyid Said was 10 yaare aid.
The situation ie certainly a delicate one.hilat on the one