‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎243r] (484/949)

THE RULING FAMILY.
The Sultan of Maskat belongs to the Al-Bu*Saeed clan, an Azditetribe
originally migrated to Oman from Yemen. Their strongholds nowadays are the
towns of Manh, Semmed, Izz and Nezwah in Central Oman and they are
classed among the Hinawis as opposed to the Ghafiris or Ishmaelite stock ori
ginally immigrated from Nejd. The Sultan owes his fragile sceptre to his
ancestor Ahmed bin Saeed, a man of humble position, who by pure force of
character came to the front at a time of national emergency in 1741 , when he
brought about the expulsion of the Persian troops of Nadir Shah who were
then overrunning Oman, and in recognition of his services was unanimously
hailed “ Imam”.
We see, therefore, that the present dynasty has been in power for upwards
of 160 years, and except fora short interval between 186-5 and 1871 daring
which Azzan bin Kais, a member of a near collateral branch of the house of
Ahmed bin Saeed, usurped and held the Sultanate, it has never been out of the
present Sultan’s immediate family.
Seyyid Feisal’s forbears were as follows : (Feisal) bin TurH bin Saeed bin
Sultm bin Ahmed, so that it will be seen that, in spite of the unsettled condition
of the country, rulers have been on the whole long lived and long reigned.
The first of the Sultans of Oman to enter into formal political relations
with the British Government was the present Sultan’s great grandfather Seyyid
Sultan, who in 1798 < o icluded a treaty with the English and two years later
a second treaty providing for a British representative to be deputed to reside at
his court Assistant Surgeon Bogle was the first British Agent appointed in
pursuance of the above requests in 1800 .
I note that as early as 1840 when the Egyptian Mahomed Ali sent a force
to Bereymee with the intention of overrunning and annexing Oman, the British
Government intimated through its Resident in Cairo that it would allow no
interference with Oman.
The present Sultan was the second of the three sons of Seyyid Turki and
having the strongest position and follow ing on his father’s death obtained the
Sultanate ( 1888 ) and after the lapse of some little time was formally recognised
by the British Government ( 1890 ).
At the time of his recognition Seyyid Feisal gave an undertaking to the
Resident, Colonel Ross, to the effect that he would act up to all the engage
ments undertaken by his father, and testified to his desire to be guided in all
important matters of policy by the advice of the British Government.
Seyyid Feisal is 39 years of age having been born in 1864 . His eldest son,
Taimoor, is by His Highness’s chief wife, Aleyyah, daughter of Seyyid
Thoweynee and therefore first cousin of the Sultan. He is 17 years of age.
The Productions and Commerce of Maskat.
Half a century ago Maskat used to be a much more thriving place than it
is at the present day. It was in fact the distributing centre for the whole of
the trade of the Gulf, and within the memory of inhabitants still living as many
as 40 clipper sailing ships have been seen at anchor in Maskat harbour at one
time. Many of the owners of these vessels were very wealthy and resided in
comparatively palatial buildings in the suburbs of Maskat and Matra which
have since crumbled to ruin. From the time that steam vessels began to ply
on these waters the prosperity of Maskat has gradually waned.
PRODUCTIONS.
The chief exports are dates, fruit, fish, limes, and pomegranates. In
lesser quantities the following fruits are grown:—peaches, apricots, apples,
mangoes, oranges, citrons, sweetlimes, grapes, quinces, custard apples, papiyas,
and plantains.
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