File 4011/1923 Pt 1 'PERSIAN GULF NEGOTIATIONS 1928-33. BASIDU.' [‎51r] (106/1306)

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17
boats belonging to the different Arab tribes in the Gulf, it is almost certain,
I think, that the Imam would be able to retain the islands of Kishm, Ormuz and
Larak, in spite of every exertion of the Persian Government.
(6) 1 he whole of the Persian shore of the Gulf is in the possession of
different Arab tribes, and though they may have little differences and quarrels
ai^ng themselves, they would cordially unite to repel any attack the Persians
might make to accept or subdue any one of them.
(7) It is quite impossible that the Arab tribes and the Persians can ever
cordially blend their interests and act in concert together. The habits of the
people are very different, the independence of an Arab sheikh submits reluctantly
to the Persian yoke, and the difference of religious feeling effectually prevents
anything like a cordial co-operation between them.
“ (8) I regret extremely that neither at Muscat nor at Kishm have I been
able to obtain a sight of one of the old Persian furmauns by which His Highness
the Imam farms Bandar Abbas from the Sovereign of Persia, in order to ascertain
what places are particularly specified, as constituting its dependencies. I think
it unlikely that such an important document as the grant, or furmaun of the King
of Persia, by which His Highness the Imam farms so large a portion of territory
and for which he pays 4,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. annually should not be in existence; it is
possible it might have been mislaid at the time I was at Muscat, or it might have
been intentionally withheld, but I was expressly informed by Syed Abdul Kahir,
His Highness’s confidential secretary, that neither Kishm, Ormuz nor Larak are
specified on the receipts annually granted by the Persian Government for the
stipulated sum paid to them; and in reply to a series of questions which I wrote
out to be answered at Muscat, and which I know were carried by Syed Abdul
Kahir to His Highness the Imam himself, it was expressly declared that the
islands of Kishm, Ormuz and Larak belonged exclusively to the Imam.
“ (9) It appears to me extreme presumption in the Persian Government to
declare that even Muscat itself is a dependency of Persia, and the information I
have obtained satisfies me that Muscat never was tributary to that State; perhaps
the pretensions of Persia may be grounded on the following circumstances, which
I obtained in detail from what must be considered the highest authority, the Imam
himself :—
“ (10) About seventy-eight years ago, Sultan-bin-Syfe Gaarubi was Imam of
Muscat and the Province of Oman; he made himself very unpopular by his
tyranny, and was removed from the Government by the general voice of the
people; he went and sought the aid of Nadir Shah, then Sovereign of Persia, to
reinstate him in his Government; Nadir Shah complied with his request, and
sent an army back with him to restore him to influence and to power. This
army landed at Ras-sul-Khima, and, after much hard fighting, they succeeded in
marching through the country as far as Muscat, which place alone seems then to
have been retained by the adherents of Sultan-bin-Syfe, while all the Province
of Oman remained unsubdued.
“ The independent Arabs now advanced and surrounded Muscat, and the
Persian army was reduced to considerable difficulties. About this time
intelligence of the death of Nadir Shah reached them, the Persians made certain
proposals to the Arabs, which were finally agreed to, and the Persian army
returned back to Bandar Abbas without effecting the object of their coming.
“ (11) In this state of affairs Ahmed-bin-Saed, the grandfather of the
present Imam of Muscat, and then a chieftain commanding at Sohar, assumed
the Government of Oman and was proclaimed Imam.
“ (12) The claims of Persia therefore to the islands of Kishm, Ormuz, &c. r
seem to rest entirely upon their being considered as dependencies of Bandar
Abbas. This point I have not yet been able to ascertain, but it is quite evident
that the Imam is not disposed to acknowledge the right of Persia to the islands
in question, and it is, I believe, the universal law of nations to claim as a right
that which they have obtained by the sword. Persia, with equal presumption,
claims the Island of Bahrein because it was once tributary to it, though it has
thrown off the yoke, and paid no tribute for these thirty years. Persia may
with equal justice lay claim to Delhi at the present day because Nadir Shah once
conquered and plundered it.
“ (13) In my discussions, therefore, with the Persian Ministers, I think I
shall be able, in point of right, to support all the measures the British Government