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'P. 1 733/1904. Muscat Arbitration. (1904-08).' [341r] (688/778)
The record is made up of 1 volume (385 folios). It was created in 1903-1906. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
I
4/y
V.— Muscat. Tour telegram, mh March. Owing to absence from
Muscat of the Vohtical Agent, it has not been possible to send a reply,
lending hts return, we are still without any indication of his views or those
of the Sultan. It is also important that Major Cox, who is at present at sea
on his way back to India, should be consulted. However, for the following
reasons, any arrangement such as that proposed by the French Government is
in my opinion, strongly to be deprecated : —
(1.) It is hardly possible to cancel the reference to arbitration before the
Hague Tribunal without obtaining the consent of the Sultan. It is almost
certain that he would object to the solution proposed and would consider that
we had surrendered his interests once more.
(2.) We do not know what the reciprocal engagement of the bth August
1890 was, and we have no record of it. Renewal of declaration of 1862, at
the very^ time when we have been endeavouring to escape from the “ dual
control f would seem to be most unfortunate, as it would involve the indefinite
postponement of any solution of questions such as we wish for.
My telegram of the 26th March. Arrangement seems to us to be
altogether one-sided. The French Government offers to furnish, in two
months time, complete list of flag-holders, although, on the IHth May last.
Lord Lansdowne was informed by the French Ambassador that the list was
already prepared.
Secondly, the French repeat their promise, which was reported you
on the 26ih May last (/), that no more flags will be issued by them
without an understanding with the Sultan. In return for the above, we are
asked to recognise the right of the French Government to protect, not only
the owners of dhows flying the French flag, but also subjects of the Sultan
who reside in, or own property in, French Colonies, such protection to be
extended to their families and to be exercised both on land on l in the
territorial waters. This, it appears to us, would be tantamount to conceding
in full the claims of the French, which on the 16th May last Lord Lansdowne
said His Majesty's Qovernment were quite unable to understand. With
regard to the statement that papers will not he renewed inTlhe event of the
title to them being found defective, we are unable to understand whether
the proposal is that the papers should be cancelled at the end of the year, or
whether the permission would hold good during the lifetime of the flag-
holder. Further, we fail to see what protection the French flag-holders
require beyond that which the Brussels Act, Article No. 30, et seq., confers
upon them. Froposed arrangement would give infinite trouble in the future,
and is certain to be regarded locally as a British surrender. It would seem
preferable from every point of view to persist in reference to the Hague
Tribunal rather than agree to such an arrangement. «
About this item
- Content
The volume discusses a dispute between the British and French Government’s over the use of French flags on Muscat dhows and individuals dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. owners from Muscat claiming to be protégés of France owing to their vessels being registered as French.
The two governments agreed in October 1904 for the dispute to be taken to the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, and the award, which was approved by the British Government in September 1905, was concluded primarily in favour of the British Government’s position. The complete award in English and French can be found at folios 135-141.The papers include reports and discussions on other matters linked to the arbitration case including the limits of Oman territory; the question of ownership of Gwadar; and the legal status and nationality of the Khoja peoples residing within Muscat and Oman. The principal correspondents in the volume include the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne); the Secretary of State for India (William St John Fremantle Brodrick, 1st Earl of Middleton); the Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department (Louis William Dane); the Viceroy of India (George Nathaniel Curxon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston); 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. and Consul at Muscat (William George Grey); the French Consul at Muscat (Lucien-Ernest-Roger Laronce); the French Ambassador to the United Kingdom (Paul Cambon); and representatives of the Foreign Office and the 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. .
The volume is part 1 of 3. Each part includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, year the subject file was opened, subject heading, and list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (385 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
The subject 733 (Muscat Arbitration) consists of 3 volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/25-27. The volumes are divided into 6 parts with parts 1 and 2 comprising one volume each, and parts 4, 5, and 6, comprising the third volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the back cover with 386; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
Condition: The spine has become detached from the volume and has been placed in a polyester sleeve at the back of the volume as folio 395. The sleeve may result in some loss of sharpness in the digitised image.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'P. 1 733/1904. Muscat Arbitration. (1904-08).' [341r] (688/778), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/25, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100026193162.0x000059> [accessed 30 March 2025]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/25
- Title
- 'P. 1 733/1904. Muscat Arbitration. (1904-08).'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:9v, 10br:10bv, 10r:13v, 15r:28v, 30r:32r, 34r:41v, 42v:106v, 115r:121v, 135r:135v, 142r:163v, 165r:167r, 168r:170v, 172r:172v, 173v, 175r:194r, 195r:206v, 207v:218v, 220v:232r, 233r:240v, 243r:247v, 249r:298v, 301r:310r, 311r:312v, 314r:323v, 324v, 326r:327v, 333r:349v, 352r:359v, 367r:368v, 375r:376v, 383r:385v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence