تقارير إدارية من الخليج العربي ١٨٨٣/١٨٨٤ – ١٩٠٤/١٩٠٥ [ظ‎‎٧‎٢] (٦٠٢/١٤٩)

24
ADMINISTRATION REPORT OP THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL
commanded in person. In this war the Maeen were completely defeated and compelled to
submission, the sovereignty of Seyyid Sulcan over the two islands being fully acknowledged.
At this time, and for some years previous, the Shaikh of the Maeen was the Governor of Bunder
Abbass and its dependencies, the revenues of which he had farmed from the Persian Govern
ment for a fixed yearly rental.
The result- of the war was thus doubly advantageous to Seyyid Sultan, for he now
assumed the position of the Shaikh as regards his relations with the Persian Government, and,
after some negociation, obtained a firman in his own name from the Shah by virtue of which
and of successive firmans Bunder Abbass remained a dependency of Muscat for three-quarters
of a century. As Persia and 'Oman were at this time (1794) on bad terms, Seyyid Sultan had,
no doubt, to submit to pay heavily for this concession; the peace now concluded, however,
lasted until 1797, when a rapture took place, and Baba Khan stfnt orders to the Shaikh of
Bushire to collect a land force to be shipped at Mohammerah for an expedition against
Muscat. Beyond desultory skirmishing nothing appears to have resulted from these orders,
as the Shaikh probably had no means of carrying them out.
In December ] 798 Seyyid Sultan commenced hostilities against the Pashalic of Basra,
and with a view to preserve his territories from insult during his absence from 'Oman on this
expedition, made a truce with the Kowasim of Has el Khyma, with whom he had been for a
long time past at war.
The Pasha of Busra heard of the preparations at Muscat with apprehension, having no
ships at his disposal capable of contending with the Arab fleet. He, therefore, solicited from
Mr. Samuel Manisty, the British Resident, the assistance of two English cruizers in protect
ing his town from attack, promising in return certain advantages in the way of trade. The
Indian Government, however, were at this time not in a position to forsake their attitude of
neutrality, or to make enemies of any of the Gulf powers, and they, therefore, instructed the
Resident to refrain from doing more than offering good offices in bringing about an amicable
settlement with the Ruler of 'Oman. Mr. Manisty accordingly mediated, and shortly after
was able to effect a reconciliation.
Seyyid Sultan, during his career as Ruler of 'Oman, had to perform no more important act
than to make his choice, which he was at this period called upon to do, between the two great
rival European powers then contending for the mastery in India, France and England.
In the time of the Imams Ahmed and Saeed, French influence, owing to the brisk trade
and constant communication that took place between 'Oman and Mauritius, as well as to the
personal influence of Monsieur Rousseau, the well-known French Consul-General at Bagdad,
who had long maintained friendly relations with Rostak, was predominant in 'Oman, and the
Governor of the Mauritius, M. Malartic, took care to maintain this ascendancy by sending
valuable gifts of cannon, &c., to the Imam. The harmony of this entente had been interrupted
for a time by the unjustifiable capture, in June 1781, of the Imam's 50-gun ship, the Salih, by
Captain Desohiens, commander of a French privateer, but on the Imam's repeated representa
tions, a small vessel had been despatched by King Louis in 1790 in charge of Captain Mac-
namara of La Thetis in substitution of M. Deschien's prize, an act of courtesy which had
completely re-established friendly relations.
On his usurpation of power Seyyid Sultan continued this friendly intercourse and for
some years appears to have been guided in political affairs by his French physician.
The Great French Revolution, however, which occurred at this epoch, diverted the atten
tion of that nation entirely to home affairs and their prestige declined in the east until the
middle of the year 1798, when the sudden appearance of a French army in Egypt and the
brilliant conquest of that country by the young General in command again drew the eyes of
Orientals to their deeds. The Egyptian expedition appeared to give Napoleon Bonaparte the
opportunity he had so long and ardently sighed for, of satisfying the cravings of his ambition,
and he allowed his imagination to run riot in dreams of eastern glory. One o£ these dreams
was to lead his army back to France through Constantinople and Austria, annexing the one
and crushing the other on the way. Another scheme was to march across the Syrian desert,
Mesopotamia, and Persia, like Alexander to the frontiers of India, to conquer that Empire for
France or for himself. It was in pursuance of this latter project (which he continued to
cherish for years afterwards) that General Bonaparte despatched emissaries and letters to
various Oriental potentates, among whom were Tippu Sahib and the Imam of Muscat, with a
view to gain allies and assistance in the enterprise. Twelve days before he started from Cairo
on his Syrian expedition, he wrote the following letter to Seyyid Sultan, enclosing one to
Tippu, in which he promised to deliver Mysore from the iron yoke of England, This letter