Page 436 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

88
with the question of the rendition of Gwadur to Khelat. Tho correspondence
is summarised below in Section (V).
(il) • Azan bin Cilia's attempts to take Gwadur and Charbar, 1809-70.
211. v\ lien Azan bin Ghias succeeded to power in Mask at in 1809, he 8enfc
as his Governor to Gwadur one Seyyid Saif who quickly disgusted tho people
hy his fanatical Wnhabeeism, that, when Nasir bin Thowoni an illegitimate ! son
of Thowcni by a Bnluch woman, made his appearance at Gwadur in a : fishing
boat, iu which he had left Maskat secretly, the pooplo welcomed him, and
turnod out Seyyid Saif.
Charbar was little later quietly occupied by Din Moharaed Zudgul of the
neighbouring town of Dashtyari.
212. Resenting this subversion of his Lieutenant’s power, Azan bin Ghias
contemplated tho despatch of a force by
Political A., May 1869, Nci. 231-312.
sea to expel Nasir, but (the practice of
tho British authorities at that time being to prevent naval operations, not only
in the Persian Gulf, but for some distanoo outside) was prevented by Colonel
Disbrowe, the Political Agent at Ma>kat, who put au interdict on any armed
vessol leaviug the harbour.
And, very soon after this, Nasir felt himsolf strong enough at Gwadur to
mediato an attack hy sea on Azan bin
Political A., Juno 1S69, No. 360.
Ghias at Maskat, but was told by Major
Ross, tho Political Agent at Gwadur, that this could not he permitted.
213. Azan himself had, in September 1869, heard, falsely, from Bombay
that the British Government had permit­
S. I., 1870, Nos. 40-41.
ted Seyid Majid of Zanzibar, to move
against Oman, and wrote to Colonel Pelly, urging that the permission given to
one should apply to the other, so that lie should lie allowed to attack Gwadur.
Colonel Polly replied that his orders were to prevent by force if necessary any
naval operations.
21L Similarly, in November 1S69, Din Mohamed, of Dashtyari, asked
permission to attack Maskat. He was
S. I., -870, Not. 38-89. reminded of the previous orders of Govern­
ment in the matter.
215. In December, Azan returned to tho charge, and wrote to tho Resident
saying that the sea was properly free to all; that his predecessors had not
been prevented from proceeding by sea to any of their territories beyond sea,
hut that he now found himself prevented from putting his hands on tue terri­
tories which belonged to him beyond the sea. “ If ”, he said,—
" the prohibition (to move by sea) is to be with our consent, wo will neither consent nor act up
to it. But if it is to be compulsory, and not according to rules and justice, theu of course we
cannot help it, and will leave it to God. But wo do not think that a great and powerful
Government as the English, will enforce such prohibition without just cause. "
Colonel Pelly laid the matter beforo Government, expressing an opinion
which he repeated more fully in his letter
8. I, 1670, No. 146. of 23rd April, summarized further on (in
paragraph 217 of this Prdcis).
It was settled in Council that the matter should—
" h® over till Azan was rec- gnized, and that the whole question should then be reviewed
for submission to the Secretary of State.”
21G. In the end of January 1870, Abdul Aziz, a younger legitimate son
of Seyyid Said, who bad been with his elder brother Seyyid Turki in Bombay
left that place in a native coaster, and marie bis appearance at Gwadur. He
was invited ashore by Nasir and seized-: but Nasir thought it better to deport
than to keep him in confinement, so, at the suggestion of Major Ross, the
Political Agent, sent him off in the mail steamer to~Bushire, wither ithadbeeu
his avowed intention to proceed when he loft Bombay.
He made an attempt to land at Bunder Abbas, but was prevented by Uaji
S. I., 1870, No- 213A.-219. Ahmed Khan, the Governor, on account
of his proceedings at Gwadur.
• Taken from Mr. Bucklaud’i Pr/cit.