Page 146 - Arabian Studies (V)

136 Arabian Studies V

the Muscat Infantry, should temporarily replace Hedgcock while
acting as PAM during Fowle’s upcoming four-month absence.21
Hedgcock’s response was an unauthorised trip to Simla (where
the Government of India met in summer recess from Delhi) to try
to convince the Foreign Secretary, E. B. Howell—a former PAM
and a former superior of Hedgcock in Mesopotamia—of the merits
of his position.22 To bolster his case, Hedgcock accused the former
Infantry Commandant, Captain Walker, of having usurped state
funds for his own use and Biscoe and Fowle of having deliberately
lied to him. Howell was in no position to evaluate Hedgcock’s
charge. Consequently, he allowed the erstwhile FA to return to
Muscat with the authority of the Government of India to investi­
gate the charges which he himself had brought. Despite the confu­
sion prevailing at the time, he was no longer Financial Advisor and
thus not an official of the Sultanate.23 In the end, Hedgcock’s
charges against Biscoe, Fowle and Walker were dismissed as
unfounded and/or trifling and Hedgcock left Muscat in late 1931
to the obvious relief of the British establishment.24 Apparently the
only individual who was left with a favourable impression of
Hedgcock was young Sa‘Id b. Taymur, who accepted the erstwhile
FA’s attacks on Thomas at face value. In his only public statement
to his subjects (1968), Sa‘Id wrote ‘Whilst hopes were pinned on
Mr. Thomas to repair what others had destroyed he completely
ruined the finances and left them in an even sorrier state.’25
Unfortunately, this was not to be the last incident concerning the
post of Financial Advisor. Hedgcock’s temporary successor,
Captain Alban, exhibited a certain lack of consistency as well.
After having advised against the retention of Hedgcock in May
1931, Alban reversed himself in July and reported that he saw no
reason why Hedgcock should not stay.26 Alban was also responsible
for the purchase of a ‘state armoured car’, described as ‘a seven ton i
monstrosity which is incapable of movement other than between
Bait-el-Felaj and Ruie village’, a distance of approximately one
mile.27 The development of another potentially embarrassing
contretemps between a Financial Advisor and British officialdom
was prevented when Alban was invalided home shortly thereafter.
Hedgcock’s departure and Alban’s heavy workload—since he was
Acting PAM and Commandant of the Muscat Infantry as well as
FA—had allowed Sa‘id b. Taymur, as President of the Council of
Ministers, to take control of the state’s finances. He was not eager
to relinquish this newly acquired measure of independence. When
Alban left, Sa‘id rejected a suggestion that his brother, E. C. H.
Alban, replace him. As a consequence, there was no replacement
and Sa‘Id remained unimpeded in that department until 1968.28