"تقرير إداري عن المقيمية السياسية في الخليج العربي والوكالة السياسية في مسقط عن الفترة ١٩٠١-١٩٠٢" [ظ‎‎٧] (١٢٣/١٦)

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s ADMINISTRATION BErOET ON THE PERSIAN GTLF POLITICAL
Tlik incident regrettable as it was, seems to hare had the effect of bringing
+1 . ™rfics to their senses, for hostilities practically ceased from that time, and
vn Uh March the welcome news was received of the conclusion of peace. As
the ho weTtbcr and the date season are fast approaching, there are some grounds
fir hmnn>Ml it this present settlement will be more lasting than its predece^ors.
What seems to be wanted under such a set of circumstances is that the
Eulcr should make the quarrel his own when once a truce, negotiated by his
Stervmien. has been violated, and that he should come down with a heavy hand
on the offending party. This, however, in practice entails a costly expedition,
and hence it is. no doubt, that the Sultan prefers within limitations to leave the
"Sbc to tilt at one another until they tire of the game, and to hold aloof him-
so f until circumstances force him to interfere. On the score of temporary con
venience and economy, such a policy may have its advantages but it cannot
ultimatelv be for the best interests of the country, the commercial prospentv ol
which must naturally bear a direct ratio to the degree of tranquillity prevalent
in the interior.
3 Sohar. Towards the end of the hot weather, Suleiman-bm^uweilim,
the Sultans Wall at Sohar. created a little diversion bv a small expedition on
lm own account, his objective being the Fort of Beit-el-Ainein in the Dhahireh
countrv. about SO miles southwest of the port of Sohar. Owing to its being
ndvantWxmslv situated from a strategic standpoint, this stronghold has always
been a coveted possession amonsr the tribes, and during the last century has
manv times chanced hands: but for some years past it has been held against all
comers bv the Miyaiheh section of the Beui Ghanr, and on the present occasion
Suleiman-bin-Suweilim seems to have come to some personal arrangement with
the Beni Kalban tribe, by which they agreed to assist him to wrest the fort from
the Miyaiheh and hold it for the Sultan.
It is believed that responsibility for the inception of these operations rested
originally with Suleiman-bin-Suweilim personally, but once they were started
His Hurlmess had to give the expedition his countenance, and to respond to
Suleiman's appeal for assistance in the direction of money and commissaiiat.
The venture proved abortive, however, the Wall and his adherents being obliged
to desist after losing heavily ; and the Sultan, then realising that the fort could
not be reduced except at a heavy cost in men and money, sent orders to his
W'ali to return to Sohar.
Before quitting the subject of the politics of Oman, it must be noted that
during the year under review, the Sultan's eldest son. Sayyid T aim cor, has
begun to enter into public life and to help Ms father in small matters of internal
government.
4. Jtritish Indian svhjetts in Jloskaf and Omon. —During the year, the
Political Agent made two soa trips to different ports of the Oman littoral, visit
ing the small communities of British Indian traders residing at Sib. Barka,
Khabura, Luwa. Kurriyat and Sur.
Purine the year robberies have been committed on the premises of British
subjects at Luwa, Sur and Barka : also one trader was waylaid and looted on r is
way back from the interior, where he had been to recover debts; and one bania
of Mesnaa complained of wrongful confinement and ill-treatment by the Wa i of
that port.. In all these cases the Local Government has shown a commendable
disposition to see justice done.
In the more important case, that of wrongful confinement at Mesnaa, the
Wali was removed for that and other misdemeanours, and his deputy, who was
immediately responsible for the incident, imprisoned. In the theft cases, the
value of the stolen property having been investigated and assessed by 3 commit
tee appointed jointly by the Sultan and the Political Agent, compensation to the
amount arrived at has been recovered from the culprits, or disbursed by ihe Local
Government. A second case of theft at Barka is still under investigation, and a
committee has not yet been formed, but it will shortly be disposed of.
o. Cvstow**.—It will be remembered that last year the Sultan for the first
time took the Customs Administration under his own control, instead of fanmns:
it out to a contractor, the result being a satisfactory increase of revenue to His
Highness.