'Muscat Dhows Arbitration. In the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague. Grant of the French Flag to Muscat Dhows. The case on behalf of the Government of His Britannic Majesty.' [‎9r] (26/208)

i
13
Durand to
Mockler,
August 11,1891.
P. 10, on file.
Law Officers'
Report, August 21
1898, p. 26, on file.
A
Snri dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. papers,
March 17, 1892 ;
June 4, 1892.
.4-
V
April 5,1893,
in closure in
No. 12, Suri dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. .
>
See titres, p. 208-
212, on my file.
Appendice, Nos. .
March 27, 1892;
March 29,1892,
inclosures 4 and 5
in No. 7, Suri
dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. papers.
And the Sultan in that year took counsel with
the British Government as to the use of Trench
flags by his subjects, and was advised that the use
of the Trench flag could have no effect as against
him, and that he had full authority to punish
any of his subjects who might infringe the laws
of his country, whatever flag or papers they
might have accepted.
In June 1892 the British Government received
information that Trench papers had been granted
at Obokh to five large buggalows, all heavily
armed and owned and manned by Suris, and
made representations to the Trench Government
with respect to these vessels asking for a
searching inquiry. This inquiry was made, and
in April 1893 M. Dorvelle, then Minister of Toreign
Affairs, stated, as the result, that the owners,
patrons, or proprietors had declared that they
wished to settle in Jibuti, and had obtained con
cessions of land. The Minister, though expressing
himself satisfied with the result of the inquiry,
stated that instructions had been given to take
the greatest care in verifying the papers of such
vessels and in dealing with offences.
It is further to be noted that the Consuls at
Muscat and Zanzibar have, notwithstanding
M. Ribot's admission of error with respect to
Aden, have granted Trench papers in cases
where even the formalities required in Trench
Colonies could not be complied with, and it is
particularly to be observed that certain of the
Utres de navigation emanating from those places
omit statement of the residence and status of the
owner of the vessel, and permit the employment
of a foreign crew.
Notwithstanding the objections and representa
tions above stated, from 1892 until the present
time, the authorities in the Trench Colonies and
Protectorates of Obokh, Madagascar, and Comoro
have made a constant practice of granting Trench
flags and ships' papers to subjects of the Sultan
of Muscat, natives of and residing in his dominions
chiefly in Sur. The applicants for the flag and papers
arenot naturalized nor Trench citizens, and have
no authority from their Sultan to change their
allegiance, nor do they settle in Trench territory,
nor pay more than fleeting visits thereto for the
purpose of renewing their licences.
Some of them go through the form of buying a
house, or depositing what is considered the value
of a house in the Colony or Protectorate. But