Page 45 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

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121. On 2nd August Colonel Disbrowo wroto:—“ So far ns I can see aud
judgo, Boraymi was gratuitously and unjustly invaded by Syud Azan and
Azan must look for "Wahabi retaliation
As was anticipated by Colonol Disbrowc, the "Wahabis soon took steps to
retaliate.
122. On 29th January 1S70 the Bombay Government telegraphed :—
“ The Gulf mail just in leaves litllo room for doubting that the Wahabis are actually on
the march for Baraymi. It seems also that they have prepared boats, loosely slated at 100*
to co-opcrato with land force. We have only Clyde ia tho Gulf and DalAousie at Maskat.
I shall scud Colonel Polly back in the Dryad, if possible, as soon as she can be got ready/’
• Tel- No. 230-P., 7tb Feb. 1G70. 123. The Bombay Government were asked*—
“ Ilavo you any information to show where Wahabi boats are likely to start from, and
whero likely to land ? Is coast lino and country between Katcef and Aboo Debai allied with,
or feudatory of, Amir of Iliad, cr are tribes inhabiting it quite independent. Can you quote
any precedent for our interference iu Persian Gulf between two States who are not parties to
maritirao truce ?”
124». This was answered on the 10th February:—
“The Wahabi boats are likely to start, some from Katesf, which is a Wahabi port, and
others from tho Guttur Coast, and to land at some point between Abuthabi and Shargah.
Tho chief port of tho Guttur Coast in Wukra, belonging to the Chief, Mabomed-bin-Saleh,
who may be said to bo independent, though be pays an annual sum to Bahrein, a portion of
which goos to the Wahabi Amir.
u Shargah belongs to the Joasmi tribe who, as regards religious tenets, -approach nearly
to tho Wahabis, though politically they are independent.
The Beniyas tribe inhabiting the coast line adjacent to Abuthabi would not appear to
be allied or feudatory to the Wahabis. The Chief of Abuthabi, who is at tho head of tho
Beniyas, has always been closely allied in interest to the Syud Saeed branch of Maskat. The
Beniyas tiibc are stronger on land than the Joasmis, and, therefore, exercise considerable influ­
ence over tho surrounding Bedouin tribes, but the Joasmis are more powerful at sea.
“ The British Government has always been adverse to the extension of Wahabi influence
in Oman. No preccdcut can he quoted of actual interference between the Maskat and Waha­
bi powers by our Government, but it lias always lent a moral support to Maskat in the differ­
ences of that State with the Wahabis by sending vessels of war to the Arab Coast when hos­
tilities threatened, and in one instance (in 1805-66 when the late Syud Thoweynee undertook
to resist the Wahabi Amir) guns and material of war were supplied to the Sultan by our
Government.
“The latter policy of the Indian Government has heen, howevor, to forbid operations by
sea in the Persian Gulf or Gulf of Oman to any power whatsoever.
“In June 1868 the late Viceroy directed tho prevention by force of any operation by
Maskat against Persia, and, of course, would similarly have resisted any operation by Persia
against Maskat. Similarly the Zanzibar Sultan has been told that operations by sea against
Maskat would not be permitted, and the Government at Maskat has been prevented attempting
to regain Gwadur and Charbar. The maritime truce affects only the smaller Chiefs on the
Littoral; neither Maskat, Persia, nor the Amir of Iliad are parties to it/’
125. The following on the 7th February came from Bombay :—
“ Following telegram received:—‘Wahabi force approaching Maskat. Tribes in Joalan
southward are generally holding back. Appears at preseut doubtful if Azan can raise any sufli-
cient opposing force/ Telegram ends. My instructions of February 3rd were, to obsorvo
strict neutrality between contending parties, and to interfere with no operations by laud, as !
force only sent to protect British subjects and property, and to maintain maritime truce by
force if necessary; if thought noccssavy to alter these instructions, it will be best to do so at ;
once, as three days will be lost in going to Jask, which is 150 miles beyond Maskat. Bullfinch
reported to be ready on Wednesday.”
These instructions to Captain Douglas wero approved.
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126. Major Way, writing from Maskat on January 21st, roported that mon
and money wore being collected but slowly by Azan-bin-Gheis, who was endea­ I
vouring to recruit in Burka. His firm adherents, Ibrabim-bin-Gbeis and Sheikh.
Salih, were at tbo same place, but their succoss was no bettor than tboir Chiefs.
A rumour bad reached him, for which ho could not vouch, that the Beni-boo*
Ali, against whom the Imam was lately victorious in Jaalnn, bad again rebelled
had rescued some men of tboir tribe who had beon taken prisoners, and had

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