Page 600 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

6 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OP THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL

In tho early part of the year (April 1899), Salim-bin-Sultan, cx-Ohief of
8harff»h Clncf, Sakar-dln«Khalid Shargah, organized an attack against tbo place,
JowulmL which fell through. Subsequently tho Chief, Bbaikh
Sakar, became reconciled to his uncle Salim, and received him into favour and
made him his Wazeer.
As regards the warfare between Abu Dhabi and El-Katr, the Chief of
Sbargah decided to remain neutraL
In tho summer the seeds of a quarrel between 8hargah and Debay were
sown by raids committed by some Bedouins of the Manaseer tribe who are in
some degree dependents of Debay and of Abu Dhabi.
In February some camels belonging to Debay were mutilated in Shargah
limits, and redress being refused, relations between these two 8tates were
broken off. By means of the good offices of the Residency Agent, hostilities were
averted and a meeting took place between the rival Chiefs in February, when
an agreement was concluded. The quarrel, however, was renewed the follow­
ing month. On this occasion Abu Dhabi made common cause with Debay,
and Shaik Zaeed marched with a force to the assistance of the Debay Chief
and encamped at Semeyyah between Abu Dhabi and Debay.
The Chief of Debay has latterly allied himself with the cognate Beni Tas
Dobsj Chief, Rnebecd-bin-Maktoom tribe of whom Shaik Zaeed of Abu Dhabi is head.
AUBu.Falua. Consequently he has incurred the hostility of
Shaikh Jasim of El-Katr, who has forbidden the people of Debay, as well as
of Abu Dhabi, to land on the Katr coast, for trade or other purposes.
The Persian authorities of Bunder Abbas complained that Persians resid­
ing at Debay were not kindly treated, and requested that the British Agent
might be instructed to protect them. Orders were issued to the Residency
Agent to exert his influence with the Oman Chiefs to induce them to treat all
classes of persons residing in their territories kindly and justly, so that no cause
of complaint should occur.
The border warfare between the Beni Yas Chief and his allies on the one
Abu-Dhabi Chief, Zued-bio>Eha* side, and Shaikh Jasim on the other, continues un­
loofah Beni Yu.
abated.
In April Shaikh Zaeed led a force towards El-Katr and advanced to Karah,
near the borders of El-Hasa, and there plundered the Bedouins friendly to Jasim
of a number of horses and camels. From Karah the Beni Yas force marched
to ETojair, a fort in which a number of the Karah Bedouins had taken shelter,
but the place was not invested nor attacked. Shaikh Zaeed decided not to
advance to Katr, and returned to Abu Dhabi. Very few lives were lost in
this expedition on either side, but the Beni Yas captured a considerable number
of camels.
Reprisals were of course made, and in June Hameyd-bin-Mana, El-Man-
800ri, a follower of 8haikh Jasim, led a marauding expedition towards Oman
and carried off some.camels belonging .to the Deroo, and Al-Bu-Shamis tribes,
allies of the Beni Tas.
Shaikh Jasim also headed an expedition in the summer, but it was unsuc­
cessful.
In August a considerable section of the Al-Morrah tribe bound themselves
by compact to act in concert with the Beni Yas against Katr raiders.
His Highness 8ayid Abdul Aziz, uncle of the 8ultan of Muscat, has
recently proceeded on a visit to the Chief of Abu Dhabi.
It will be observed that the mutual relations of the .various u trncial 99
Chiefs were at the close of the year rather unsatisfactory, but all have re­
spected their engagements to the British Government.