ABSTRACT
The tribal military strength was only estimated potential but the growing naval strength was concrete and observable. Other ports in the area had the opportunity to increase their fleets as well but there is no evidence to suggest as great an increase proportionally as at Masqat, which had had the largest single fleet to begin with. This factor and the difficult access to coastal ʿUmân by land made Sulţân a formidable adversary. Sulţân and Qays, who had successfully defended Şuḩâr, considered the outcome a victory, but al-Ḩarîq was left in possession of Tuʿâm, where he reportedly collected zakât. The oasis was to serve as the Wahhâbî base for deeper incursions into ʿUmân in 1803. Probably as part of this truce, Sultân also accepted a Wahhâbî agent and an entourage although it is not clear that they ever arrived at Masqat in return for the amîr's empty promise to assist ʿUmân against Baḩrayn.
