IOR/R/15/6/62

The volume starts with an index (ff 4-8) which lists the subjects of the correspondence in the volume. The correspondence in the volume is in the form of letters, telegrams and reports related to the internal affairs taking place at Sur and the involvement of various tribes in those affairs, mainly the Bani Bu Ali and the Janabah. Among the issues covered in the correspondence are the following:

• The Amirs of Ja'alan [Emirs of Ja‘lan] Bani Bu Ali requesting a licence for rifles, ammunition, and cartridges
• Arrangements for meetings between the Amirs of Ja'alan, the Political Agent at Muscat, and the Political Resident at Bushire
• Reports of some of the Sur tribes firing on Bertram Sidney Thomas and the Sultan of Muscat and Oman, and the fines imposed on the tribes as a result
• Petitions raised by the British subjects at Sur who were concerned about their own safety during the fighting
• The fights between the Bani Bu Ali and the ‘Arama and Fawaris tribes and the number of casualties on both sides
• The Muscat Government’s refusal of a request from the Bani Bu Ali for payment for their campaign against the Janabah.

The volume also includes two reports on the Sur affairs (ff 129-156) and (ff 256-291) sent by the Political Agent, Muscat, to the Political Resident, Bushire. The reports cover the following:

• Historical summary of the Bani Bu Ali tribe
• Historical summary of the Janabah tribe
• Geographical description of Sur
• The slave trade at Sur
• Recent events at Sur
• Review of the current situation.

Among other correspondents in the volume are the following: the Wali of Sur, Hamad bin Hilal; the Amirs of Ja‘alan, Shaikh Muhammad bin Nasir and Shaikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Hamudah; and the Council of Ministers to His Highness the Sultan of Muscat and Oman.