"مسقط. وزير مسقط - التعيين، الإجازات، الأجر، وغير ذلك" [و‎‎٦‎٩] (٥٤٦/١٤٥)

•*1
s ' (£'
Sultan have improved the latter's character. I found him indeed
a very pleasant personality; far from pompous or vain: on the
contrary simple and unaffected, with a sense of humour,intelli
gent and -ith abilities certainly up to the average, and
probably u-^ove. Our relations throughout our conversations were
most cordial,
Kr. Thomas's departure,
3. His Highness seemed to take Mr. Thomas's departure
philosphically, which was convenient. Unfortunately this
philosophy was evidently based on the state of mind of benevo
lent neutrality described by Colonel Trevor in his letter Uo.
256 of 4th October 1921, (a state of mind I noticed in His
Highness even before he made his declaration as to not return
ing to Muscat):"His Highness*s present idea is that he has now
divested himself of all responsibility for the administration
of the State, and thrown it on us, and that he can live at his
ease in India on a comfortable allowance "
4. His Highness 1 s doubts on the change of Financial Advisers
were apparently as to the qualifications of Ifr. Thomas's
successor, and once I was able to assure him on this point his
mind seeiiied at rest. I enclose copies of letters A and B
received liom him (the translations are in the "^ords of his
confidential clerk Khan Baiiadur Ahmad ShubailyJ .Letter A was
received before I met His Highness, and is the one referred to
. _ me
m my telegram of 30th August 1930. . Letter B ^as given/by
the Sultan after our conversation. In it, besides definitely
agreeing to Mr. Thomas's departure .the Sultan states it is
necessary that the Adviser should take part in political as
ell as financial ailairs. This was in reply to a question
which I casually put to him as to whether he thought it
advisable that the Adviser should only deal with financial
matters. The question is not germane to this despatch, and ^ill
be dealt -ith in another in due course. The question of Mr.
Thomas's departure having been settled, there remains that of
the Sultan's abdication to be dealt with.
Sultan's