"ملف XXXVIII/٥ تقرير عن صور بقلم الرائد ج. ب. ميرفي.، المساعد الهندي، الوكيل السياسي، مسقط. ١٠-١٠-١٩٢٨". [ظ‎‎٣‎٥] (٣٠٨/٨١)

4
His father became very difficult at one time and definitely opposed to the
British,
It is undesirable to risk this occurring again with the unpleasant political
position which would arise.
Now that the Sultan is dependent upon us for the breath he breathes it is>
I would suggest, the time to recommend to him and his Council (who would
make r o difficulty) that our responsibilities in Muscat are so great that he
must ask for a position within the Empire for us to continue our assistance.
A copy of this letter is being sent to His Majesty’s Secretary of State for
India and another is being given to Sir Denys Bray at Bushire.
Enclo. 1 to Serial No. 34.
Confidential letter from the Political Agent and His Britannic
Majesty’s Consul, Muscat, to the Secretary to the Hon’ble the.
Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Bushire, No. C.-71
DATED THE 28TH APRIL 1928.
I have the honour to forward herewith, for the information of the Hon’ble
the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and for such action as he may
deem necessary, the following report on the present situation at Sur.
2. In order to make the position there clear, I have deemed it necessary
to include in the report short historical summaries of the two tribes involved
which I have compiled from the files and records in the Consulate. These
have been included in the form of appendices.
Appendix I.—Historical Summary of the Bani Bu Ali.
Appendix II.—Historical Summary of the Jenebeh.
Appendix III.—Short Summary of recent events.
3. Sur, the second largest town in Oman, owes its importance largely to
its being the nearest dhow harbour to India in Arabia. It has been for a con
siderable period the chief distribuiing centre for the slave trade. Dhows ply
regularly from Sur to Bombay and Karachi, Socotra, Aden, Zanzibar, and the
African coast; also up the Persian Gulf and to the Mekran coast! There
is quite a considerable trade with India and a small colonv of Indian traders
have been resident there for many years.
4. The town is situated on both sides of the entrance of a creek. The
quarter on the east is called Aiqa and is occupied by the Bani Bu Ali tribe.
That on the west is called Miqraimatciin and is occupied by the Jenebeh Behind
the town about two miles from the sea is a ridge and on the plain behind the
ridge is Balad As Sur, a stone built village where the Wall resides. Part of it
is known as Suq Sur, A large part of the water supply of Sur is obtained from
Balad As Sur, and it was in order to keep the town in check by commanding
the water supply that this site was determined on for the Wali’s residence 5
5. In 1901, in order to facilitate the collection of dues at Sur, the Sultan
erected a line of block-houses between Sur and Balad As Sur. In connection
with the above block-houses 100 extra sepoys were engaged, but this garrison
does not appear to have been kept up,
6. Both the Bani Bu Ali and Jenebeh tribes who inhabit Sur have been
somewhat unruly subjects of the Sultan of Muscat, but in recent vears there
has been one fundamental difference between them. Whilst the Bani Bu Ali
appear to be united under their Amirs, the Jenebeh are divided amongst
themselves by a Hood feud which started about 1913 and has been tent un
more or less ever since. 1 1
7. In former years the Jenebeh were united under a Temeemeh ShiiH,
chosen from the Majaala section who lived at Nezwa and Masirah. In the
time of Colonel Miles the Temeemeh was Nasir bin Khamees who was regard
ed wtth veneration and had despotic power. He resided near Nezwa and took