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APPENDIX TO EEPOET FKOM SELECT COMMITTEE
Appendix, No. 8. Thoweynee is assured that the agreement, in the sense in which he regards it, was known
to the late Colonel Haraerton ; that it was made with his cognizance ; and that the French
and American Consuls at Zanzibar were privy to the same.
_ 41. In the course of our inquiries on this subject, Syud Thoweynee mentioned a
circumstance which may afford a clew to its elucidation. He informed me (addino- that
the fact was too notorious to be denied) that on accomplishing his mission to Zanzibar,
Mahomed bin Salem had succeeded in inducing Syud Majeed to make him an allowance
of 12,000 crowns per annum. That the first year the entire sum was paid, and the
second year only half, after which it was discontinued altogether. The money was remitted
to Mecca through a Muscat merchant named Kdheyyed.
42. Supposing this statement to be true, it occurs to me as very probable that the
agent, Mahomed bin Salem, for his own private ends, deceived both parties. (Syud
Thoweynee did not mention what reward he had received from him, but there can be no
doubt that he was adequately paid for his services.) At Zanzibar he was willing to
accept the 40,000 crowns as a fraternal gift from Majeed to Thoweynee, while at Muscat
he represented that the stipulated sum was tribute from Zanzibar to the Muscat State.
, 43. Further inquiries at Zanzibar may throw additional light on the foregoing transaction.
The matter may have been recorded at the French and American Consulates, and
a reference to them, in a prudential way, may be desirable. The point, however, whether
Zanzibar in future should be tributary or not to Muscat will, I presume, depend on the
decision arrived at on the more general and important questions regarding the succession
and the respective claims of Syud Thoweynee and Syud Majeed lo the sovereio-nty of
Muscat and Zanzibar respectively. ^
44. I now proceed to notice Syud Thoweynee’s vindication of himself from a number
of charges brought against him in the course of the official correspondence which has
taken place on the foregoing subjects. I do so, in the first place, because I candidly believe
that statements have been made to the prejudice of his cause, which the explanations
given will tend in some degree to remove ; and, secondly, because the said explanations
will serve to throw additional light on the untoward disturbances which occurred at
Zanzibar, after the return of Syud Thoweynee’s expedition to Muscat.
45. The first charge occurs in Colonel Rigby’s letter. No. 34, of 1859, and is to the
following effect : “ His Highness (Syud Majeed) some months ago sent one of his tradino-''
ships to Muscat, and instructed the Commander to sell it if he got a good offer. The
'' ship was sold at Muscat for 11,000 dollars, and Syud Thoweynee has forced the ao-ent
‘‘ to pay him this money.” '
46. In reply, Seyed Thoweynee admits the charge, but justifies the act on the grounds
that Syud Majeed had seized his portion of the inheritance of his two younger brothers,
Jemsheed and Hamadan, who bad lately died at Zanzibar. Also that Majeed had prevented
the proceeds of a house belonging to him, which had been sold at Zanzibar for
12,000 dollars, from being transmitted to him. The house in question had been the
property of Bint Seif, the wife of the late Imam, on whose death it fell to her sister, who
made it over to Seyud Thoweynee. It was eventually bought by Aysha bint Saeed,
daughter of the late Imam, but Syud Majeed has forbidden her to transmit the purchase
money. The seizure of the price of the ship, therefore, Syud Thoweynee regards as a
just act of retaliation. “
* Letter, No. 40, of
1859.
47. As indirectly connected with this subject, I may here notice Syud Thoweynee’s
justification of himself for having made a demand on Syud Majeed, in behalf of the late
Imam’s younger children, for which he appears to have incurred some blame. Colonel
Rlgby,^ in his letter. No. 59, of 1859, says that he, Syud Thoweynee, had demanded
(of Majeed) “ the renunciation of the custody, as his father’s executor, of the property of
“ the younger children of the late Imam.” Syud Thoweynee admits having done so,
but refers to the Imam’s will as a proof that Syud Majeed was not nominated one of the
executors. He further adds that his demand was coupled with a request that tlie property
should ^ be committed to the safe custody of a third and disinterested party. This, he
maintains, was a necessary precaution, and adduced, in proof, a letter addressed to him by
six of the surviving children, showing the abject state of want to which they were
reduced through the neglect of Syud Majeed. A translation of this letter is o-iven in
Appendix E. ^
48. The next charge mentioned by Colonel Rigby is,* that Abdallah bin Salem and
others of the El Harth tribe had " been writing to Syud Thoweynee, invitino- him to
“ dethrone his brother, and promising him the aid of their tribe and theii” slaves.”
Syud Thoweynee does not deny that, prior to his expedition to Zanzibar, several of the
El Harth tribe did correspond with him on the subject, but he denies ever havinoencouraged
them to any act of insubordination. He maintains that it was quite natural
for the El Harth tribe, who regarded Oman as their native country, and who were ill
affected towards Majeed, to endeavour to enlist his sympathies in their behalf.”
49. With regard to Syud Barghash and his confederacy with the El Harth at
Zanzibar, Syud Thoweynee denies ever having held any correspondence with him on
the subject. “ Think you,” said he, “ that I would correspond with a lackbrain ; such
he
