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CHAPTER VII .
ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE POLITICAL AGENCY, MUSCAT FOR
THE YEAR 1940.
Part I.
1. Agency Officials—
Political Agent .. Captain T. Hickinbotlmm, O.B.E., from 1st January, 1910, to
2nd April, 19*10. Captain J. 11. llowcs acted in the appoint­
ment from 3rd April, 1910, to 25th July, 1910.
Major T. llickinbotham, O.B.E., from26th July, 1910, to 31st
December, 19*10.
Medical Officer .. Military Assistant Surgeon C. E. Hynes, I.M.D., throughout the
year.
Treasury Officer .. Khan Sahib Maqbool Hussain Khan from 1st January, 19*10, to
8th March, 1910.
Captain T. Hickinbotlmm, O.B.E., from 9th March, 19*10, to 2nd
April, 1910. Khan Sahib Maqbool Hussain Khan from 3rd
April, 1940, to 31st December. 1910.
2. Medical, (a) General.—In February a few eases of small-pox occurred in
Matrali and there was every indication that an epidemic was starting but prompt
action by the Medical Authorities proved effective and the infection was localised,
contracts being taken to the Quarantine Station.
The problems of sanitation and malaria arc now being dealt with by the Muscat
Government. It has been decided to introduce a simple sanitary system in 1941
and funds arc being provided for this purpose and for anti-malaria measures by the
Municipality. The Agency has agreed, at the Sultan’s request to advise on the
introduction and working of these measures which are the outcome of a scheme pre­
pared by the Agency for the Sultan eighteen months ago.
(b) Agency Hospital.—Treatment at the “ Out-Patient ” Department has
continued to be free and funds provided by public subscription have proved ample
to meet the cost of drugs and appliances. The re-laying of the hospital floors was
completed during the year and new instruments to the value of £8G were purchased
from England.
Attendances and admittances during the year were as follows :—
“ Out-Patient ” Department .. 25,771 persons.
Admitted into the hospital 139 persons.
Major and minor operations performed.. 5G5
Maternity cases 3
Gynaecological cases 1
(c) Quarantine.—Quarantine restrictions were imposed against Karachi for
emall-pox on two occasions.
The quarantine buildings are on the whole in good condition. The examina­
tion of dhows using the port is still by no means perfect but the new police regula­
tions have included certain elementary rules making it incumbent on nakhundas
t o declare cases of sickness among the passengers and crew.
3. Political Situation, (a) General.—Two minor disturbances occurred during
the year. One at Gwadur in November when the Governor’s matrimonial intentions
resulted in unrest among the Baluchis of the Nigor, and the other at Dhibah where
a quarrel broke out between the Jawasim subjects of the Sheikh of Kalba and the
Shihuh subjects of the Sultan over a servant of the former. The Sultan took prompt
action in each case sending a commission to Gwadur to enquire into the grievances
of the Baluchis and despatching the Governor of Sohar, Mudhaflar bin Suleiman,
with plenipotentiary powers to Dhibah. The Gwadur commission reported against
the Governor who has been censured and whose recall has been decided upon. The
Govoror of Sohar was successful in restoring the situation to normal at Dhibah where
he seems to have co-opcrated well with Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad, Regent of Kalba,
and the Sheikh of Fujairah who acted as an intermediary during the negotiations.
In March the murder by men of the Beni Ilassan of a Saudi subject who was
a Qadi of the Beni Bu Ali resulted in unrest between those two tribes which conti­
nued with varying intensity throughout the year, but at the close of the year
peace appeared to have been restored. There was no other tribal strife worthy
of notice and the year has on the whole been a peaceful one.