"ملف ٢٠/٨: شؤون دولة مسقط: احتجاج العمانيين" [و‎‎٤] (٦٣٤/٧)

Azzan was declared Imam and, for bis short reign, ruled well, if too firmly,
for the taste of the inhabitants of Maskat and Mattrah.
The Gazetteer states <{ such leadership and many resolutions as his had
not been witnessed at Maskat since the days of Sultan bin Ahmednoor had he
been approached by either of his immediate predecessors in energy or deter
mination to rule. lie had many disadvantages to contend against, not the
least being the character of the associates by whom he was carried into power
and the dissensions that prevailed among them, but as his authority became
consolidated the influence of religious fanaticism in his councils declined
But for the refusal of British recognition the consequent loss of the
Zanzibar subsidy and the release, by the British Government, of his most
dangerous rival, Turki, it is possible that Azzan might nevertheless have
surmounted all his difficulties and reduced Oman, for a time at least, to the
cmblance of a well ordered monarchy.”
Turki, however, succeeded in wresting the power from Azzan who was
killed in the struggle.
The two great factions of Oman are the Hinawi and the Ghafiri and it
was to the latter section that Turki owed his success.
It may be noted that to one or the other of these two factions belong all
the tribes of Oman.
The Binawi have been responsible for all risings in the past and it is the
fact that the present insurrection represents the whole of the interior of Oman
and not only the Hinawi section which marks it as being different from those
which have previously occurred.
To resume: Mislead by a report of the death of Turki, in 1874, Salih
bin Ali made a bid to place the son of Azzan on the throne; arrangements
were made by the British Government to support Turki bm the latter bought
off his enemies.
Among those who joined the rebellion was the Chief of Kustaq who, the
following year, seized the port of Masnaah but was shelled out of it bv
H. M. S. “Philomel”.
In 1875 Turki found himself unable to cope with the situation with
which he was faced and fled to G wadar leaving his capable brother, Abdul Aziz,
as his Viceroy to put matters right for him, with the assistance of Salih.
At the end of the year, when things were going better, Turki returned
without giving notice to his brother and seized some of the forts, treating as an
enemy the brother who had done so much for him, with the result that, hence
forward, we find Abdul Aziz in the ranks of his opponents.
Various rebellions took place during the next few years which are not
worthy of remark, but, in 1883, we find Salih bin Ali once more preparing for
a supreme effort to depose 1 urki.
Though he put forward prominently the name of Abdul Aziz, the brother
of the fcultan, it appears to have been his intention to place liamud bin Baisal,
a religious recluse, in the seat of authority.
The Political Agent was given due warning and was requested to move
British subjects to a place of safety.
As the Sultan was doubtful of his ability to defend Maskat once more,
British help was given to him and 11. M. S. “ Philomel ” assisted the defence
with artillery fire with the result that the rebel movement was broken up.
In 1886 an explicit announcement was made to the Chiefs of Oman that
we would not permit attacks upon the towns of Maskat and Mattrah, and that
we would, if necessary, expel the rebels if they occupied them and would replace
feaivid Turki.
-O'
This was a personal guarantee to Saiyid Turki and not applicable to his
successors.
I would point out in passing that such a restriction, though it sounds well
on paper, is, in practice or indeed on analysis, of no value. Taking into consi
deration the circumstances in Oman, a guarantee of this nature once given
must be continued to a successor, if he is to maintain bis place, for the
withdrawal of the support is practically an encouragement to attack.