'Volume II. MEMORANDA REGARDING OTHER EXTERNAL AFFAIRS. 1905.' [‎5r] (14/228)

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10. The Government of India have had
under consideration the advisability of intro
ducing the British Indian rupee currency into
Maskat. The Political Besident, Bushire,
was authorised (17th January), if a favour
able opportunity offered, to instruct Major
Grey to discuss informally with the Sultan
a definite plan for introducing a rupee
currency, with a view to the question being
placed before His Majesty’s Government.
11. The Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Maskat, report
ed the occurrence of a case of slave-dealing by
the Sultan’s Jemadar. Major Grey was instruct
ed (24th December) to inform the Sultan that
he would not he acting up to his obligations
if servants of his were thus allowed to engage
in slave traffic, and the hope was expressed
that substantial notice would be taken of the
Jemadar’s conduct.
12. The Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Maskat, re
ported (14th January) receipt of private in
formation of secret arrangements having been
made by the Prench Vice-Consul and his
dragoman to travel overland to Sur from
Maskat. The project has come to nothing
owing to the Vice-Consul’s illness.
13. Koweit .—The Government of India
informed the Secretary of State by despatch
on the 19th January 1905 that measures would
be taken for the temporary withdrawal of
Captain Knox from Koweit by April 1905 on
a pretext unlikely to raise the susceptibilities
of Sheikh Mubarak or engender a belief in the
minds of the surrounding Chiefs that the step
indicates a decline in the political influence of
the British Government {vide paragraph 11 of
Memorandum for December 190^).
14. The Secretary of State telegraphed
(21st January) that protests had been made by
the Porte against officers visiting Turkish
territory, and directed that Mr. Lorimer should
not visit El Hassa, and that the movements of
the party elsewhere should be confined to the
neighbourhood of the coast. Major Newmarch
intimated (26th January) {vide paragraph 9
of Memorandum for December 1904) that
Sir N. O’Conor had received assurances that
Mr. Lorimer would not be molested in Katif
or on the littoral or at any reasonable distance
inland.
Mr. Brodrick notified (21st January) that
the Turkish Ambassador bad complained that
British officers had planted marks at points
some distance from Koweit, and had incited
the tribes near Kiazimil and Um Kasr to
submit to Sheikh Mubarak. Also that the
Sheikh had himself hoisted the British flag on
his palace.
15. Nejd .—The Secretary of State was
informed by telegram (23rd January) that the