"ملف XXXVIII/٥ تقرير عن صور بقلم الرائد ج. ب. ميرفي.، المساعد الهندي، الوكيل السياسي، مسقط. ١٠-١٠-١٩٢٨". [و‎‎٢‎٩] (٣٠٨/٦٨)

i Ofli rf fhft same month Suleiman’s son threatened to shoot a gardener and
actually did shoot a bullock and cut down a date tree belonging to him because
the latter refused to supply him with some green grass, which he was keeping
for his own camels. ^
17 This and other arbitrary and highhanded acts on the part of Sulei-
ma.ti’s 'son resulted in a combination between the torn fakhmh or sections
of the Jenebeh, the Sheikhs of which sent a letter to the Sultan on the 17ih
Anril requesting him to issue orders to stop the building of the fort and
to remoT SuHman’s son from his post at Soor. His Highness did not
vouchsafe a replv to this letter and the building of the fort continued. Then,
is no doubt that the possession of a fort, so advantageously situated as the one
n question would have enabled the Sultan to overawe the Jenebeh and to
ensure a large increase in the revenue derived from the customs at Sooi, the
navment of thich is at present evaded. The Jenebeh were quite aware of this
and on the 26th April they asain wrote to the Sultan on the subject and aga
received no reply 1 On the 4th May Sheikh Musallan bin Abdullah with
four other Jenebeh Sheikhs came to Muscat and placed their comp am s
before the Sultan, but His Highness turned a deaf ear to their representations
and the Sheikhs returned disappointed to Soor.
18 The Jeneheh, seeing that the Sultan was un likely to accede to their
demands now proceeded to secure the goodwill and promises of co-operation
ffZthe Hisbra and the Bani Rashid tribes through whose country it
would be necessary for any expedition sent by land from Maskat against them
to°nass but tliei^Sheikhs^till continued to send letters to the Sultan on the
suWect of their grievances and His Highness’ well-wishers residing m 1 10
neighbourhood of Soor also wrote and advised him strongly to listen to the
representations of this tribe. > a A
19 At length the Sultan acting on the advice of his brother Seyyed
Muhammad bin Toorkee and others, sent his head writer Hamed to Soor with
instructions to hear what the Jenebeh had to state and to assure them that
His Highness would be prepared to listen to any specific charges t ey mig
make against Suleiman’s son Hamed was also instructed to direct the. latter
to stop the bn ilding of the fort. No attention was however paid by Suleiman s
on to this order aSd the building of the fort continued In the meanwhile
Suleiman who was now in Burka, and had received the news of Hamed s
mission to Soor, wrote a letter to the Sultan. The concents of this letter have
not transpired but there is no doubt that, it had its influence on the Sultan,
when Hamed returned, His Highness did not even trouble to hear his report
of the result of bis interview with Sheikhs of the malcontent tribe.
20. Matters were now beginning to assume a serious aspect and Shei <
Abdullah bin Salim, the “ Temeemeh or head Sheikh of the Bam bu A ,
tribe residing close to Soor, who had rendered great assistance to the Su an
during the rebellion of 1895, now came to Muscat with a ^mw ° f influencing
His Highness to adopt a conciliatory attitude towurds the Jenebeh but filing
that the Sultan was on tour in Semail he wrote him a letter pointing out that
an the disturbances which had of late “purred in Oman were the result of
Suleiman’s policy of unnecessary interference in the affairs of the tubes and
warnin'* His Highness that a continuance of his present policy towaids the
Jenebeh would only result in his losing the little control he possessed over that
tribe Sheikh Abdullah gave the Sultan clearly to understand that His
Xmess need expect no assistance from the Bani Bu Ali tribe m the event of
his deciding to adopt coercive measures rgainst the Jenebeh.
21 This communication resulted in one concession being granted an
Sheikh’Abdullah returned to Soor the bearer of peremptory orders to Suleiman s
son to discontinue work on the fort. But the Jenebeh were noUo be pacified
in so easy a manner. They knew that before long Suleiman or his son would
set aside the Sultan’s order and would recommence the building of the to.t.
They therefore informed Abdullah that nothing less than the recall ot
Suleiman’s son would satisfy them. Abdullah communicated tbe failu,e^of
his negotiations to the Sultan and at the same time once more strongly ui^ed
upon His Highness the desirability of conforming to the wishes of the JtuebJt
Unless he desired a repetition of the Dhofar incident.