Page 245 - PERSIAN 2C 1890_1899_Neat

BKSIDKNCT AND MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY Poa TUB YEAE 2804-05. 16

II.—ADMINISTRATION REPORT ON THE MASKAT POLITI­
Part
CAL AGENCY AND CONSULATE FOR THE YEAfi 1894-96.

Tho year under report will be chiefly memorable for the rebellion which
broke out in Maskat in February 1895*
Political.
and which first declared itself in a treacher­
ous attack on the Sultan’s palace, followed by an attempt to assassinate him* The
rebellion, its causes, and its probable effect on the politics of Oman, have already
formed the subject of an exhaustive report to the Government of India; but its
chief iucidents are briefly related in the body of tho narrative below. The poli­
tical history of Oman during the ten months preceding the rebellion, does not
present many features of interest; nor are there many events of importance to
record.
A serious outbreak of hostilities in the Semail valley, which, had it occur­
red, would have probably entailed a general inter-tribal war, was threatened
early in the year, the GhaGri tribes having intimated to the Ahl-Boshar that
they would attack them after the Eed on April 8th. A sharp skirmish actually
took place between the Hinawis who were supporting the Ahl-Boshar and the
GhnGris, while small parties of the Ahl-Boshar were on several occasions attacked
by the Nidabiyeen, a section of the GliaCri tribe. Further fighting was, how­
ever, averted by the persoual intervention of the Sultan,- who succeeded in
effecting a settlement of tho differences between the tribes, and in inducing
them to agreo to a formal peace.
In May, Sheikh Abdullah, sou of Sheikh Saleh-bin-Ali, theTamimeh of the
Earth, Sheikh Mo^sin-bin-Aamir Al-Harithi aud Sheikh Amir-biu-Saliai, one of
the Sheikhs of the Bcni-Boo Ilassan, arrived at Muscat in the Sultan of Zanzi­
bar’s S. S. Aroca. It was stated that they had been on a visit to Zanzibar
and had been received with great honour by the Sultan, who, besides other
valuable gifts, had presented them with three field-pieces and a considerable
supply of gunpowder.
Early in June there was serious rioting at Mattrah between some of the
Seedec servants of the Khojah residents of that place and a party of Baluchis.
The opposing factions twice met in conflict on the beach, and order was with
difficulty restored. On the 20th of the same month the inhabitants of Maskat
were greatly shocked to learn that Seyyid Fahad, the younger brother of the
Sultan, had on the previous night committed suicide. Seyyid Fahad had
recently been divorced from his wife, and it was supposed that his domestic
troubles had so weighed on his mind as to drive him to put an end to his exist­
ence. The Political Agent on being informed of the sad occurrence, paid the
Sultan and his elder brother an official visit to express his sympathy with them
in their loss, and some days later, in obedience to instructions which had been
received from India, he personally conveyed to the two brothers a message of
condolence from His Excellency the Viceroy. Towards the end of June it was
reported that Slieikh Hamood Al-Jabafi, who has been for many years a fruitful
source of trouble to the ruling power in Oman, was endeavouring to excite dis-
n ection in the interior, and that it was his intention to head a rising against
the Sultan. The report did not appear to gain'much credence.
July was an uneventful month; but in August the Sultan received news
o the murder of Sheikh Eilal-bin-Zahir of the Beni-Hina tribe by Seif-bin-
amad, the eldest son of the late Sevyid Hamad-bin-Seif-bin-Amir of the Yai-
Boo-Said, who was Wali of Nezwah during the reign of Scyyid Toorkee.