Page 546 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

10 ADUIXISIEATION RETORT OP THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL

48. But in May a body of about GOO men, imder Khnlecfah bin Za'eed, son
of tho Beniya8 Chief, arrived in tlio vicinity of El-Bidaa. The men of El-Bidaa
appear to have sallied out to meet the invaders in scattered detachments, with­
out order or discipline, and a feint retreat of the enemy led them into an
ambush, when they were attacked and put to rout, losing 34 men killed, includ­
ing Ali-bin-Jasim, and having many wounded. Shaikh Jasim was not present
during the fight, being at his residence, Dha'ayan, and only arrived at El-Bidaa
when the affair was oven
44. Between anger and grief, Shaikh Jasim became well-nigh distraught,
and gave his whole mind to coinpassing his revenge upon tho Abu-Dhabbi Chief
and people. H* addressed letters and messages to the Turkish authorities of
Basrah and Hasa, appealing to their sense of honour, and pointing out tho ad­
vantages they might reap from an invasion of ’Oman. Ho also wrote to certain
persons in Constantinople in the same sense, and applied to the powerful Chief
of Jebel Sh&mtn&r, Mahomed Ibn Rasheed, commonly known as “ Ibn Rustieed,”
for assistance against Shaikh Za’eed. Shaikh Jasim also commenced to spend
money freely in purchase of arms, provisions, and in subsidizing Ajxib tribes.
45. It appeared at first that these measures would lead to important
results. The s^iion of the Porte and Turkish local authorities cannot be stated,
but “ Ibn Rasfceed ” freely promised to lead or despatch a force into ’Oman,
and his advance in the cool weather was fully expected. It is probable that
the communications made by Her Majesty’s Government to the Porte led to
the abandonment of the project. At all events Shaikh Jasim’s sanguine hopes
have ended zo hr in disappointment, and he has been unable to strike any
signal blow at Abu-Dhabbi. In February of this year, indeed, Jasim led a
raiding expedition and succeeded in surprising some unfortunate Arabs, said to
be dependants -of Shaikh Za’eed, at Leewab, and a number of these, including
some women and children, were put to the sword in a very merciless and bar­
barous manner.
46. The Beniyas of course prepared to despatch a retaliatory expedition,
4>ut hitherto no serious engagements have occurred.
41. In 1888 the Sublime Porte addressed a complaint to Her Majesty’s
'Gcijernment regarding the coercive measures adopted against Shaikh Jasim to
©bbixa redress for his ill-treatment of British subjects, &c. In reply, the Porte
was informed that Her Majesty’s Government approved of the proceedings in
question, and could not admit the right of the Porte to interfere in the matter.
48. During the summer of 1888 the Turkish detachment at El-Bidaa wai
increased to about 250 regular infantry, and a Turkish 6team-launch has been
placed at that port.
49. Two serious irregularities by 6ea occurred.off the ooast of El-Katr: One
was the plunder of a Bahrain vessel close to El-Bidaa, and the other the deli*
hexate murder of two men of the tribe Amamerah, residents of Bahrain, by a
acffiiribec of the Al-bu-Kawarah tribe of El-Katr, in pursuance of a blood feud.
The piracy case was settled between the Chief of Bahrain and Shaikh Jasim on
jfcbeir cooing to a friendly understanding, but the Al-bu-Kawarah have still to
he brought to account.
CO. In October I proceeded to El-Bidaa in Her Majesty’s Ship Sphinx,
and hai an interview with Shaikh Jasim, who seemed chiefly intent upon
retaliating on Abu-Dhabbi, but promised to respect the maritime peace and
aeutrality.
6.—NEJD AND EL-HASA*
5JL la the report for the preceding year it was slated that, under the
'eospkga and support of Mahomed Ibn Basheed, Amir of Jebel Sham max.