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18 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OK THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL

PART II.

ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE MUSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY
FOR THE YEAR 1882-83.

During the night o£ tho 11th March 1882, Ibraheem-hin-Keis
(AlbooSaeed) took Mesna’a by surprise. The commander of the gariisoa
was Eussufi Abdur Raheeni (Belooch), and the Wali of Mesna*a at that
time was Masood bin-Sad-bin-Smvcilim, cousin of Suleiman-bin-Suweilira,
Wall of Dhofar. Three of the garrison were killed, and the remainder,
having been disarmed, allowed to depart. The persons and property
of the British subjects carrying on business there were not molested.
Ibraheem-bin-Keis informed the Political Agent of the fact by letter.
2. On the 21th March His Highness Seyyid Toorkee requested that
the British subjects iu Mesna’a might be warned to leave the place and
remove their property, as it was his intention to retake it by force of
arms. Commander Edwards, Her Majesty’s ship Heady, was accord­
ingly requested to proceed thither to give notice to the British
subjects, and, having done so, returned on the 27th March. On the 4th
April His Highness Seyyid Toorkee started for Mesna’a by sea in bis
steam yacht Dar-el-Salaam, hiking with him an 18-pounder siege gun
and some 150 men, aud at the same time sending about an equal number
by land. AtBurka His Highness landed and got together an additional
force, composed of men from different tribes, which he also despatched to
Mesna’a. On the 4th April Her Majesty’s ship Ready proceeded
to Mesna’a to watch events. Mesna’a was bombarded during the 9th and
forenoon of the 10 th April, and at about noon on that day was taken by
storm. The place is said to havebeen obstinately defended, and there was
considerable loss on both sides. Ibraheem-bin-Keis was himself at
Kustak, organising, it was said, a descent on Muscat. Her Majesty’s
ship Ready returned to Muscat during the night of the 10th April,
bringing some 21 wounded men from Mesna’a, who were immediately
sent to the civil hospital. The crew of Her Majesty’s ship Ready
made a subscription on board for the wounded, for which act of
kindness His Highness desired his thanks to be conveyed to Com­
mander Edwards, and those under his command. His Highness Seyyid
Toorkee returned the following morning, and immediately visited the
wounded in hospital. Some of the Hindu merchants at Mesna'a
complained that the Sultan’s soldiers had pillaged some of their property.
A representation was made to His Highness Seyyid Toorkee, who replied
that a fortnightly notice had been given them to clear out, and their
claims were disallowed. A certain amount of prestige has, doubtless,
accrued to His Highness Seyyid Toorkee from the successful termination
of these operations.
S. In the month of May a collision was expected to occur between
the Beni Jabir (Ghafree) and Beni Rooaha (Hinawee) in Wadi.Samaeel
in consequence of the former having destroyed some date trees belonging
to the latter. These two tribes are always at feud. On 30th May

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