'Muscat' [‎10r] (17/40)

7
sanction or under treaty. lie referred also to a suggestion (3) that an
extended issue of the British flag might he practised, hut indicated that
difficulties would arise from the provisions of the existing law.
In an earlier Despatch (No. 37 of the 11th August) the Secretary of State 660/99.
referred to the question of the subsidy, and suggested, subject to the discretion
of the Government of India, that an early resumption of payment of the
subsidy would be likely to make for the re-establishment of a good understanding
with the Sultan. On the 30th September Captain Cox, who had been specially
selected for the appointment of 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. , arrived at Muscat. lie at
first abstained from broaching important questions, and confined himself to
endeavouring to obtain the Sultan's confidence. In this he met with
considerable success ; and the Government of India felt justified in autho- ^98/99.
rising (13th Deceml3er) the resumption of payment of the subsidy, with
effect from October, the question of the arrears being left in abeyance. The
outcome of this step was that the Sultan felt himself to be in a position to
assume the direct control of his Customs, which had previously been farmed
out to contractors. This was regarded by the local authorities as a step in
the direction of meeting the wishes of the Government of India in this 2li!/l90l.
respect, and the first year's working of the new arrangement proved to be
very satisfactory.
In ^November a certain Prenchmnn, M. Goguyer, who had arrived at 033,949,
Muscat earlier in the year and proceeded thence to Bahrein, returned to
Muscat and had an audience with the Sultan. He was evidently in close 330 '
relations with M. Ottavi, but his actual business was mysterious. It 45^' 1200
subsequently transpired that he was contributing Anglophobe letters to the of 1900
French newspaper " La Depeche Coloniale/' and also endeavouring to 1017 /1900.
promote the introduction of French trade goods into Muscat. [A suggestion 646 /1901.
that the Sultan should take certain steps to put a stop to M. Goguyer's inter
ference in Muscat affairs was referred to the Foreign Office on the 10th May
1901 ; but action of this kind 011 the part of the Sultan was considered
inadvisable, at all events until the Foreign Office had ascertained whether or 1993/1901.
not he was an official of the French Government ]
1900. —The Sultan's behaviour during this year continued to be friendly.
He co-operated with Captain Cox in carrying out the arrangement with the 1137/1900.
French regarding the coaling station in Makalla Cove; he reinstated Seyyid
Saeed as Vizier ; he requested that certain scurrilous leaflets containing lalse 573 1900.
information and malicious comments on British policy, which were being
disseminated in Muscat, should be suppressed in the post office ; and, further
(as reported by the Viceroy in his telegram of the 22nd May), he offered to
sign a letter requesting Her Majesty's Government to discuss the flag 543/1900.
question with the French Government on his behalf. The Foreign Office
were indisposed to do more than to offer friendly representations to the 2152/1900.
French Government, which, moreover, they did not expect to be of much
practical use. But, before orders were issued, the Sultan visited Sur, in the 639/1900.
second week of June, in H.M.S. " Sphinx," and obtained from three dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean.
owners the French papers which they held, and from the remainder of the
Suri French-protected dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. owners, a solemn undertaking to return their
flags and papers to the French authorities on the occasion of their next visit to
their port of registry. On his return to Muscat, the Sultan sent the three sets of
papers which had been surrendered to him, to M. Ottavi, who, however, refused
to accept them. He also issued an edict to the following effect:—" We have 684/1900.
" observed that subjects of ours have ignorantly taken flags and articles from
" a Foreign Government, whereunder they pretend to claim their protection.
" This has taken place in the past, but there must be none of it in the future
" and you must understand that such procedure is contrary to the duties and
" obligations of subjects (to their sovereign). You arc hereby informed that we
" do not recognise in our territories (i .e., in the hands of our subjects) such
" flags and protection papers, and will not pardon anyone who takes them
" otherwise than with our written permission and sanction in accordance 2245 1900,
" with the terms of the treaties between us and Foreign Powers. Let this be
" clear to all." This edict he communicated to the Consuls on the 15th June;
and it was approved by Her Majesty's Government on the clear understanding
that it referred only to cases of the issue of flags subsequent to the date of its
notification to Foreign Consuls.
S. 13. " C