'Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. Vol I. Historical. Part IA & IB. J G Lorimer. 1915' [‎339] (482/1782)

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or quasi-protectorate in some part of eastern 'Oman, and that she was in
search of a naval point d'appui in the same neighbourhood. Persevering
endeavours were made, as in the past, to create by wholesale grants of the
rench flag, especially to natives of Sur, a class of maritime Arabs depen
dent on French protection and subject to French authority; and an attempt
by France to obtain the valuable harbour of Bandar Jissah near Masqat
for occupation was very nearly successful. Both of these important
questions are dealt with at length elsewhere; and here it is enough to
remark that the flag question became so acute in 1903 as to bring France
and Britain, a fact which fortunately did not become public,—within
measurable distance of a rupture. There is, indeed, no reason to doubt
that France entertained designs, unconnected with the furtherance of
Russian policy, upon the ; Oman coast between Masqat and Ras-al-Hadd,
and possibly upon the hinterland as well, for the French Vice-Consul
during a period of years maintained intimate relations at Sur with the
Bani Bu Ali and Jannabah tribes who occupy also a large part of the
interior.
A fiee use of war vessels was made in the Gulf by France during the
time of her greatest political activity there. In 1900-01 the French
men-of-war " Drome," «Catinat," and " Acheron," in 1901-02 the
"Catinat/' "Jean Bart," " Infernet," and " Chasseloup Loubat," in
1902-03 the "Infernet," and "Friand," and in 1904 the "Infernet"
were seen in the Gulf of 'Oman, some of them visiting the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
also. Lieutenant Jules Viaud of the French Navy, better known as
Pierre Loti," Academician, sentimental politician, and author of
' L Inde sans les Anglais," was in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. in April 1900; he
spent a day at Masqat, where he had an interview with the Sultan, 'and
thence went to Bushehr.
A malicious press campaign against British proceedings in the Persian
Gulf, conducted in Arabic as well as in French and Russian journals, was
a singular accompaniment of the contest between France and Britain.
Early in 1899 there settled at Masqat a certain Antoine Goguyer, a
frenchman of energy and ability, to whose manoeuvres some reference
must be made. The antecedents of M. Goguyer, who spoke Arabic like a
native, were shady; he was an inveterate me content, and in the past he
had had trouble with the French Foreign Office. At one time he was
obliged to leave Tunis on account of his misdeeds, and at another he was
imprisoned by M. Lagarde, the French representative in Abyssinia,
doubtless not without cause. M. Goguyer■'s affairs at Masqat, in so far
as they relate to his dealings in arms, are dealt with elsewhere; in this
place we are only concerned with the political side of his conduct.
M. Goguyer had not been long at Masqat when he opened an attack
31 a
'Omftn and
indiscrimi
nate confer
ment of the
French flag
on native
vessels.
French naval
demonstra
tions in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
Journalistic
attacks of
French
origin on
British pro
ceedings in
the Persian
Gulf.
i
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