Page 255 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

Part VI—Chap. XLVI. 233
Resident’s interference to obtain redress. He observod, “ this is what bas
taken placo. You know best. If you do not interfere between us lot us
know. If you have any otlior intention, we hope you will quickly do justice
botween us. Every word has its answer. In short, I have sont my messenger
to lot you know what has occurred.”
422D. Government received two further despatches from the Resident in
the Persian Gulf, dated tho 14th and 21st May, the first reporting that His
Highness Syud Soweyni, finding that he could not obtain any aid from the
neighbouring Arab tribes and having boon repulsed on tho 30th March in an
attempt to take the port by assault with a los9 of 30 men killed and wounded,
had been compelled to raise tho siege of Sohar aud returned to Maskat on the
4th April, that his treacherous conduct towards Syud Hamud had created a
general feeling of sympathy towards that Chief, and that various Arab Chiefs
had oombined to aggress against His Highnoss the Imam’s territories, having
taken one fort (Gkulluh) and the uuited forces of Sheikh Sultan bin Saggar
the Sukun Chief, and of Syud Gez bin Azan having also laid siege to the
still more important fortress of Shinas. Tnese were the natural results as the
Resident remarked “ of the imprudont and faithless proceedings of the Imam’s
son Syud Soweyneo in the seizure of Syud Humood bin Azan, and tho unpro­
voked attack on Sohar. ” The Resident’s despatch of the 21st May reported
the death of tho unfortunate Chief of Sohar at Maskat on the 23rd April.
This death is said to have been occasioned “ by the heat of the place in which
ho was confined, ” and the Resideut adds, ” he was treated with unnecessary
severity by orders of Syud Soweynee, the irons in which ho was originally
confined having been exchanged for heavier ones, after he arrived at Maskat
notwithstanding he was then suffering from fever and dysentery.”
423. We must also mention that Shaikh Sultan had for some time past
been planning an expedition against Khore Fukciun, a port on the Batinah
Coast, now in the possession of His Excellency Syud Soweyni; but, owing to
the strong terms in -which both Syud bin Mutiuk and Shaikh Muktum of
Hebaye expressed their aversion to the proposed measure, he abandoned the
plan.
424. In the early part of 1850, however, when the Sohar Chief sought his
assistance against the Maskat authorities, who had seized upon his brother, and
invaded his territories, Shaikh Sultan gave ear to the request, and finding that
Syud Ghes promised, in the event of being freed from bis obnoxious opponent,
to aid and support the Joasmi in recovering his lost possessions vpon the
Batinah Coast, as also to pay tribute, the same in amount as he had hitherto
paid the Wahabi, assistance was speedily proffered.
425. The Joasmi troops were yet on the way, when they were met by
Syud Gbes, who, having successfully resisted the convulsive efforts of tho
Maskat Governor to take the fort of Sohar, had driven His Excellency Syud
Soweyni to retreat from the neighbourhood, and return to Maskat. The
combined Chiefs now proceeded at once against the fort of Shinas, and, after a
stout resistance had been offered, compelled the place to capitulate on the 10th
May 1860. They were equally successful in their attacks upon Ghulla and
Khore Fukaun, and having thus reduced the whole of the Batinah Coast from
Merya to Cape Musseldom to a state of subjection, and come to a satisfactory
understanding of the partition to be made, they both returned to their seats.
# 426. The correspondence that passed between the Imam of Maskat and the
Resident, and the orders passed by the Bombay Government are interesting as
showing our policy in these inland conflicts between the Joasmi Chief and the
8ohar Chieftain and the Imam -

Translated extract of a letter from JIlS BloENESS SYED SYOWEYEEE to MAJOR HENEELL,
Resident in the Persian Gulf dated 15th Zilkauda or 3rd October 1949.
-4/tcr compliments.—Before this I wrote two letters to you, the first on tho subject of
umood bin Ajan having abdicated his authority and made it over to his son, Syf, and
rotnor Ges. These have both joined the people of Nedgd, under Saad-ul-Mooteiree, the Agent