Page 409 - PERSIAN 4 1899_1905

RESIDENCY AND MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 1002-1003. a
occurred. A disturbing eloment however in the poh'tics of the Oman Coast has
lately arisen owing to the renunciation by the petty Sheikh of Fujeyrah on the
13a tin eh Coast of his allegiance to the Joasmi ruler of Shargah. All efforts to
bring about a satisfactory arrangement between the Fujeyrah Sheikh and the
Chief of Shargah have failed, and it is owing to this matter that the Chief of
Shargah has fallen out with his neighbour, the Chief of Deb aye, who is suspected
by the Shargah Chief to be encouraging the Sheikh of Fujeyrali.
Mr. J. C. Gaskin has been Assistant Political Agent throughout the year, IV.—Dfthroia.
which has been, so far as the internal affairs of the islands arc concerned,
exceptionally quiet and prosperous. The new bouse for tlio Assi>tant Political
Agent was completed towards the end of September. Sheikh Rashid, the third
° of the -Chief of Bahrein, died of consumption on the 3 6th December.
son
Two Frenchmen, Messieurs Dumas and Castclin, arrived in Bahrein in February
for the purpose of opening a business there. A German Assistant to Herr
Wanckliaus also arrived in Bahrein during the year.
One serious ease of piracy occurred in August off the Coast of Katr on a
Bahrein boat, property of the value of 5,-100 dollars being carried off. The
leader of the pirates was the notorious Ahmed bin Sclraan originally from
Bahrein and an outlaw from that place. Ahmed bin Sclman returned with the
booty to Turkish territory where he now is. Representations were at once
made to tho Turkish authorities at Basrah tlu’ough His Britannic Majesty’s
Consul, but so far the pirate has not been captured.
The only news of importance from El Katr is, that in October last, the
Mutassarif of El Hassa wrote to Sheikh Jassim bin Thani, the Chief of Katr,
expressing a wish to make his acquaintance and desired him to go to El ITassa
or else to scud his brother, Sheikh Ahmed. Both declined the invitation.
This part of Arabia under Turkish rulo has been, as usual, in a marked v.-ei Hassa
state of disorder. The caravan route between Ojair and El Ilassa was unsafe and El Katlf*
for the greater part of the year and three large caravans were attacked and
plundered by the Arabs. One of these caravans which left El-ITassa for Ojair
on the 29tli* April was escorted by 120 cavalry, SO mounted irregulars and 30
infantry and was attacked by a part of the A1 Murra, A1 Safran and Beni Ilajir
Arabs. It is said that nearly all the escort was killed and the few who escaped
were held as hostages for the safety of the Arab tribesmen who were in Turkish
custody at El Hassa.
The new Mutassarif of El Hassa, Saiyid Talcb, son of the Nakib of Basrah,
who took up his appointment in July, i9 said to have restored a certain
amount of order in the districts, and it is understood that a senes of posts are to
he established between Ojair and El Hassa, each to be garrisoned by Turkish
cavalry and infantry.
Constant and conflicting reports have been received during the year regard- vi.—Kowoit
iug the progress of the fighting between tho Amir of Ncjd and tho partisans of aDd Ne^d*
the Wahabi dynasty. In last year’s report tho capture of Riadh by the latter
was mentioned, and there appeal’s to be no doubt that all tho efforts of the Amir
of Nejd to turn the Wahabis out of lliadh have so far failed. Abdul Rahman
bin Fcysal has, it appears, gained influence and supporters throughout the
country-side aud it is generally thought tliat tho power of tho Amir of Nejd is
on the docline. In the early part of 1903, the Amir was reported to be within a
few marches of Koweit where lie was joined by Yusuf bin Ibrahim of Dora, the
well known enemy of Sheikh Mubarck of Koweit and the espouser of the cause
of Mubarck’s nephews. Koweit itself was never actually threatened, though
Mubarok complained of raids committed on his tribesmen. Towards the close of
the year the Amir drew off towards El Kasccm. He has been followed by
Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman bin Foysal, and it was generally expected that
a decisive battle would have been fought ere this. No reliable news iioweverof
any encounter has a9 yet been recoivcd.
His Royal Highness tho Salar-cd-Dowloh was Govomor-Gcnoral of Arabia* VII.—PeraUa
tan throughout tho year, with Azcm-cs Sultanch as Lieutenant-Governor. The AiaWiton.
Province) has generally been in a disturbed state. On tho night of the 6th
September a party of Arabs belonging to the Binat section of the Khasraj tribe
attacked tho S. S. “ Shushan ” at Shclailich near Shushter, killing a boy, wound-
B *