Page 20 - Gulf Precis (III)_Neat

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CHAPTER II.
Claims of Sayyid Abdul Aziz to the Sultanate of Zanzibar ; question of
his allowances while in India, 1892—95.

5. Sinoe tho arrival of Sayyid Abdul Aziz, the lato Sayyid Turki’s brother
in Bombay in Juuo 1890, an important factor of disturbances in Oman *
was
removed.
G. On bis arrival at Bombay tho Government of India telegraphed to Her
Majesty's Agent and Consul-General at Zanzibar enquiring whether thero was
any objection to His Highness visiting
Secret E , November 1890, Nor. 120—129.
Zanzibar, and were informed in reply that
the Sultan Sayyid Ali-bin Said objected strongly to suob a visit during hia
lifetime; that ho bad sent Abdul Aziz Rs. 6,009, and that ho would supply the
latter’s reasonable wants. Arrangements wero immediately eonccrtod for
preventing Abdul Aziz’s departure, and Her Majesty’s Agent and Consul-
General at Zanzibar was asked what provision the Sultan was prepared to make
for Abdul Aziz’s maintenance in India. To this enquiry we received tho
reply (8th October 1890) that the Sultan was willing to pay Abdul Aziz
Es. 600 a month on the condition that tho latter did not go to Zanzibar, and
that bo did not apply to tho Sultan for more money. An intimation to this
effect was made to Sayyid Abdul Aziz, who complained (29th October 1890) that
the sum was quite insufficient for his maintenance He further represented
that Sayyid AH himself had received, before succeeding to the Sultanate, an dl-
lowance of GOO dollars (about Rs. 1,300) a month for his support from his pre­
decessor, Sayyid Khalifa ; and hoexpressod a wish to proceed to Zanzibar to
establish his right to be the next successor to the Sultanate of Zanzibar to
arrange for the payment of his debts and tor the management of hia lauded
estates there.
7. Sultan Sayyid Ali was strongly opposed to tho visit, and declined to
increase tho amount of tho allowance to assist his brother in any way to pay
his debts, or to grant his allowance in arrears from tho date when it was first
offered. But tho Sultan fiually agreed to grant tho allowance from the 24th
August 1892, and offered to purchase the garden which was found to be the
only landed property owned by Abdul Aziz at Zanzibar. This otfer, however,
fell through, as the price asked for the garden, viz., 20,000 dollars, was con­
sidered excessive.
8. Simultaneously with the steps taken to arrange with the Consul-General
at Zanzibar for the maintenance of Abdul Aziz in India, the Political Resident
in the Persian Gulf was addressed with a view to ascertaining what terras he
could suggest to prevent Abdul Aziz’s return to Oman if that was still deemed
to be undesirable. The Political Resi­
Secret E„ March 1693, Not. 670—C1G.
dent replied on 21st August 1892 that the
Sultan of Maskat was willing to grant his uncle, Sayyid Abdul Aziz, an allow­
ance of Rs. 400 a month, subject to the conditions that ho should not return
to Oman, that his family should join him, and that there should he no claim
against the Sultan for debts contracted by Abdul Aziz. Abdul Aziz declined
to accept this offer, urging that his expenses exceeded Rs. 1,600 a month, and
that if he were to remove bis family to India, Rs. 3,000 a month would scarcely
suffice for his maintenance.
9. The terms proposed by the Sultan of Maskat were subsequently modi­
* Eerideofi No. 9, dated 17th January 1893. fied, and the amount of the allowance
Encbiur# No. 63.* offered was increased to Rs. 600 a month,
but Sayyid Abdul Aziz still refused* to receive pecuniary aid from the Sultan
of Maskat
10. At the same time he continued to protest against the arrangements
proposed for his maintenance in India by
Secret E., March 1694, Noa. 117—240.
the Sultan of Zanzibar. In a letter ad­
dressed to Mr. Lee-Warner, Secretary to the Government of Bombay in the
Political Department, dated the 26th February 1893, Abdul Aziz brought to
notice this pecuniary difficulties, and explained that ho had, from time to time
up to that period, reoeived from the Sultan 6ums aggregating Rs. 3,600 on