'ملف 59/15 C (A 15) مسقط متنوع' [و‎‎١‎٣‎٧] (٥٠٨/٢٨٠)

Co nfidential
32 0t dated i>ushire, the I5tli (received 24th) July 1905.
From Major P. Z. Co5c, C .I .E., Officiating Political Resident in the Persian
Oult,
M. Fraser, Esq., C.I .E., Secretary to the Government of India in the
Foreign Department,
With reference to Foreign Department endorsement No. 2110-E. B , dated
3rd June 1905, I have the honour to forward copy of letter No. 329, dated Vd
July from the Political Agent, Maskat, reporting the circumstances in
which the certificates referred to were granted by him.
No. 329, dated the 3rd July 1905.
From— Major W. G. Grey, Political Agent and His Britannic Majesty's Consul
Maskat, 3 '
To— M ajor P. Z. Cox, C .I. E., Officiating Political Resident in the Persian Gulf.
I have the honour to submit the report called for in your letter No. 91,
dated 18th ultimo.
2. Case (I). The Baluch Shadad bin Nasaf came to Maskat from Syria in
November last, and after explaining his circumstances to me desired to be
registered as a British subject. He was unable to prove to my satisfaction that
he had a right to be considered as such, little or no evidence beyond his own
statements were forthcoming, and as he had undoubtedly been born in Matrah
I did not consider myself justified in assuming him to be other than a subject
of the Sultan of Maskat. I therefore dismissed his application.
Two days later Shadad was sent to me by His Highness with a request that
I would give him a certificate which would entitle him to protection equal to
that enjoyed by our own subjects. I replied that I would not do this without
instructions and offered to refer the case to the Government of India. After
further discussion with His Highness during which I was informed that the man
had made all arrangements to leave on the following day, I agreed in the cir
cumstances to register him as a <c British protected person " noting specifically
on the certificate, in order to avoid possible future difficulites, that such action
had only been taken at His Highness the Sultan's request. The latter express
ed his gratitude and satisfaction.
Case (II). The document granted in this case is a non-committal one
it amounts only to a request for such good offices as His Majesty's Consul
might feel able to give.
3. As similar requests for British protection as that recorded in connection
with case (1) will probably be made by His Highness the Sultan in future, I
take this opportunity of soliciting instructions as to what action should be taken
thereon in case I have over-estimated the amount of protection which it is con
sidered desirable to afford to Maskat subjects,
4. The remarks contained in paragraph 2 of Foreign Office Circular, dated
3rd July 1893 (Treaty,) dealing with spheres of influence would appear to be
of interest in this connection.
G- C. Pres®; Simla,—No. C 4<H F. 0,-28-7-05-6o-R- S. W,