'File 35/85 IV A 11 Muscat Dhows Arbitration' [‎100r] (195/492)

02
{Received on 10th September 19 6 with Political Secretary's Letter No. 34,
dated 24Lh August 1906.)
August 13, 1906.
No. 26491.
Foreign Office to India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. ,
Sir,
I am dir^cterl hj Secretary Sir E. Grey to state for the information of the
Secretary of State for India that he has carefully considered your letter of the
2nd instant together with the papers previously communicated by you on the
13th, 24th and 26th ultimo in regard to the Muscat Arbitration Award.
Sir E. Grey fully concurs in Mr. Morley's view that in principle there is
much force in the observations of the Government of India and Major Cox as
to the doubtful nature of the Erench claims and the difficulty of pressing the
Sultan to accept the list of dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. -owners supplied by Mons. Laronce. He consi
ders, however, that when Major Cox contends, as appears from his letter of June
2Hth that unless the French list is reduced, IBs Majesty's Government will
practically sacrifica the results of the arbitration, he los^s si^ht of the two
principal advantages which have been securod by the Award. These advan
tages are firstly that with tlie death of the present flagholders no more dhows
privileged to fly the French flag will remain when the controversy will auto
matically cease, and secondly that the flagholders directly they land in Oman
will come under the Sultan's jurisdiction.
Sir E Grey is therefore glad to note that Mr, Morley concurs in the
suggestions put forward in the letter fr^m this Office No. 20053 of June 27th
with a view of settling this long pending controversy with the French Govern
ment.
The decisions which have been agreed upon are embodied in the Memoran
dum, of which a draft is enclosed, and Sir E. Grey proposes, if Mr. Morley
concurs, to communicate this documen 1 ". to the French Ambassador.
It will be seen from the accomp anying copy of a Note which has recently
been received from Mons. Cambonthat the French Government are manifest
ing some impatience at the de^ay in the settlement of this question.
Sir E. Grey does not consider that this complaint is in any way justified,
and he will point out to Mons Caml on in reply that before arriving at a deci
sion it was necessary for His Majesty Government to consult the Govern
ment of India and to give full consideration to tiieir views.
In communicating to the French Embassy the Memorandum above refer
red to. Sir E. Grey proposes to intimate verbally that if the French Government
are unable to accept the liberal concessions now offered to them. His Majesty's
Government will bo compelled to obtain further evidence regarding the
dhows for which French papers are claimed with a view of subjecting the list
to a searching enquiry, and he will suggest that the other points in dispute
should be referred for final decision to Mons. Lammasch, the Umpire in the
recent arbitration.
I am, etc.,
E. GGIIST. .y /
pC TV?-
Mo/is. Camhon to Momr B ourgtms (Min isf r e-desrAffair^s iZrf dn a^rcs). r
Londres^le 31 Juillet 1906.
Monsieur le Secretaire d'Etat,
Selon le desir exprim^ par votre Excellence, le Consul de France h. Mas-
oate a ^te charge par le Gouvernement de la Republique de s'entendre avec
son collogue britannique au sujet de Tapplication de la sentence arbitrale du 8
aout 1905. Ues conferences ont eu lieu a ce sujet au mois de dccembre dernier
entre Mons. Laronce et le Major Grey. A la suite de ces pourparlers, I'agent
fran9ais a remis au Consul d'Angleterre, le 4 mars dernier, la liste des boutriers
que le Gouvernement dela Republique consid6re comms ayintle droit d'arborer
le pavilion fratals; le 20 avril, il lui a communique egalement un projet