Page 165 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

3 I
CHAPTER II.
Claims of the Imam of Maskat to the islands of Kishm and
Ormuz, and Bandar Abbas and its dependencies.
British position and jurisdiction at Bassidore.
XIII —Early history.
84. The most exhaustive account we have got in our records of the origin
of the title of the Imam of Maskat to the islands of Kishm and Ormuz, and
to Bandar Abbas and its dependencies is contained in a letter of Dr. Jukes, dated
34th August 1821, then Political Agent at Kishm.
“a The Bini Mnainee tribe originally resided at Koong on the Persian coast, and it
is now about 70 or 80 years since Shaik Abdulla Maaincc took the island of Kishm from
Mulla Aly Shah, who was then chief of the island, on behalf of the Persian Government;
and Shaikh Abdulla, afterwards farmed Bunder Abbasec and its dependencies from
Nadir Shah.
3. The Bini Maaincc tribe remained in possession of the island for many years, and
after Nadir Shah’s death., continued to pay tribute to the prosent reigning family ol Persia
for Bunder Abbascc and its dependencies which they still ictained.
4. About 26 or 27 years ugo the inhabitants of Kishm, being dissatisfied with the
tyrannical system adopted towards them by Mulla Hussein Maainee, their chi:f and Governor,
solicited Mis Highness Saiyid Sultan, the Imam of NUskat, to take the islands under his
Government ami control ; the Imam proceeded accordingly with an Army, and by force of
arms took possession of the islands of Kishm, Bunder Abbasee and Ormuz, from Mulla
Hussein, and it has ever since remained under the general control of the Imam of Maskat.
5. Saiyid Sultan, notwithstanding he had taken these places by force of arms from
Mulla Hussein Maainee, continued to farm Bunder Abbascc and its dependencies from the
Persian Government, as the Bini Mnainee tribe had done before him, and his son Saiyid Saecd,
the present Imam of Maskat, continues to do the same; he pays four thousand Furmauns
annually for the town and dependencies of Bunder Abbasee, including Meena Humeel and
Khumcer. Syfe bin Mubhnun, an Arab chieftain, is at present Governor of Bunder
Abbasec on the part of His Highness the Imam, and his younger brother is the Governor
of Ormuz. Shaikh Abdul Rahman Maainee, the Governor of Kishm is related to
His Highness by marriage, so that the Government of all the principal places farmed
by the Imam of Maskat is entirely in the hands- of the Arabs at present, and I do
not know whether the Persian Government would venture to risk the attempt of taking
these places forcibly fiom them under any circumstances, but as the Imam has several
ships and could command the sources of a great number of buggalas and boats belonging
to the different Arab tribes in the Gulf, it is almost certain, I think, that the Imam would
be able to retain the islands of Kishm, Ormuz and Larak, in spite of every exertion of the
Persian Government.
6. The whole of the Persian shore of the Gulf is in the possession of different Arab
tribes, and though they may have little differences and quarrels among themselves, they
would cordially unite to repel any attack the Persians might make to accept or subdue
any one of them.
7. It is quite impossible that the Arab tribes and the Persians can ever cordially blend
their interests and act in concert together. The habits of the people are very different, the
independence of an Arab Shaikh submits reluctantly to the Persian yoke, and the difference
of rqligious feeling eflectually prevents anything like a cordial co-operation between them.
8. I regret extremely that neither at Maskat, nor at Kishm have I been able to obtain
a sight of one of the old Persian Farmauns by which His Highness the Imam farms
Bunder Abbasee from the sovereign of Persia, in order to ascertain what places are
particularly specified as constituting its dependencies. I think it unlikely that such an
important document as the grant, or Farmaun of the King of Persia, by which His High­
ness the Imam farms so large a portion of territory and for which he pays 4,000 tumans
annually should not be in existence; it is possible it might have been mislaid at the time
I was at Maskat, or it might have been intentionally withheld, but I was expressly in­
formed by Saiyid Abdul Kahir, His Highness’s confidential Secretary that neither Kishniji
Ormuz, nor Larak, are specified on the receipts annually granted by the Persian Gov­
ernment, for the stipulated sum paid to them ; and in reply to a series of questions which
1 wrote out to be answered at Maskat, and which 1 know were carried by Saiyid Abdul
Kahir to His Highness the Imam himself, it was expressly declared that the islands of
Kishm, Ormuz and Larak belonged exclusively to the Imam.
9. It appears to be extreme presumption in the Persian Government to declare that
even Maskat itself is a dependency of Persia, and the information 1 have obtained satis­
fies me that Maskat never was tributory to that State ; perhaps the pretentions of Persia
may be grounded on the following circumstances, which 1 obtained in detail from what
must be considered the highest authority, the Imam himself.
S640FD