Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎359v] (723/1028)

40
On the 5th May the Shaikh surrendered and was made a State prisoner at Mus
cat. A new Shaikh was appointed and since then all has been quiet at Khasab
The success of the operations had an excellent effect through the rest of the State"
The more satisfactory situation at Sur towards the end of the year can certainly be
attributed in part to the action taken at Khasab.
19. Gwadur .—Affairs remained normal throughout the year except for the
defilement of a Khoja graveyard outside the town during the night of 4th August
which naturally caused not a little resentment amongst the local Khoja community ,
who are on bad terms with the local Baluchis. Representations were at once made
to the Muscat State who instituted vigorous enquiries, sending over a member of the
Council of Ministers to assist the Wali in his investigations. The graveyard is
situated some miles outside the town in an isolated spot, the outrage mi^ht have
been committed by any mischief maker, and as was only to be expected the perpe
trator was not discovered. In spite of this the Council of Ministers took drastic
action imposing a collective fine on the Baluch community and expelling one Isa
Dilmurad, a local bad character who had been implicated in a disturbance in March
1929 (for which he had served a term of imprisonment), and who the Khojas feared
would stir up further trouble against them. No further incidents occurred. In
October 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. on his return from recess in Karachi took the opportu
nity to visit Gwadur where he found everything quiet* Excluding past grievances
all that the Khojas now complained of in their treatment by the Baluchis was that
the latter were sometimes uncivil to them.
*
20. Imam's territory. —The treaty made in 1920, with the assistance of 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. of that time, between the Imam and his adviser Shaikh Isa bin Saleh
on the one hand and the Muscat Government on the other, still works well and
friendly relations have continued between the two parties throughout the year.
21. Missionary Work. —The following members of the Dutch Reformed Church
of the United States of America carried on their customary activities throughout
the year: the Rev. VanPeursem and family, Dr. (Miss) Hosman and Dr. Harrison
and family; the last named was succeeded by Dr. Storm and family.
22. The Mission has acquired from the Muscat State on 99 years lease a
large plot of ground in Matrah on which to build a hospital. There is already
a woman’s hospital in Muscat under the charge of Dr. Hosman.
23. A Mohammedan family consisting of husband and wife who were alleged
to nave been converted to Christianity was the subject of controversy between the
Missionaries and the Muscat State during the month of December. When the man
died the question of his burial arose but ultimately Moslem rites were performed.
Then arose the question of the adu (prescribed mourning) by the widow, the mis
sionaries contending that its performance would imply renunciation of Christianity.
Ihis thorny question was finally solved by the woman returning her personal pro
perty to her late husband’s brother, and going into “ purdah ” for the prescribed
period in the house of Miss Hosman.
This affair was a source of some anxiety to 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. who — as already
noted—is also in charge of American interests, and who had to act as the friend
and adviser of both sides who both applied to him for support. It was mainly
aue to the sensible attitude adopted by Said Saivid, the President of the
Council of Ministers, that the matter was amicably settled.
24. Visits of Government Officials ~\st January—12th February, 8th March—
1st April, Captain R. L. O’Connor, Officer on Special Duty from Army Head
quarter, India, who visited both Sur and Sohar.
25. 21st—26th March, Major H. J. M. Symons, M.C., I.M.S., Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Surgeon
in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
26. 26th—28th March, Mr. G. E. 0. de Smidt, D.S.O., Director, Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
Section, Indo-European Telegraph Department.
27. 21st—22nd November, His Excellency the Naval Commander-in Chief,
East Indies Squadron.
28. 26th—28th November, The Hon’ble the Lt.-Col. H. V. Biscoe, LA., Poli
tical Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. accompanied by Mr. Blanch, Vice-Consul, Bu-
shire, and Mr. J. Croning, Officiating Under Secretary.