'Zanzibar, Muscat, and Persia. Memorandum by Political Secretary' [18v] (2/6)
The record is made up of 3 folios. It was created in 1 Jul 1868. 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.
2
i
had been his part to receive, instead of to pay, the
subsidy, the “ non olet” doctrine would have been
1 s; he would have pocketed the 40,000 dollars
without smelling a brother’s blood.
As a mere question of justice and good faith
between the two branches of the family, I do not
see that anything can be said in favour of releasing
the Sultan of Zanzibar from his engagement.
As a question of policy, in which the British
Government is concerned, it is to be observed, that
Sir William Coghlan says “ In my estimation, it
“ would have the worst possible effect throughput
“ Oman and the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
, if the British Govern-
“ ment allowed the plain terms of its arbitrament to
“ be set aside by such flimsy pretexts.” The
Government of India, in their last letter, state dis
tinctly that the good faith of the British Govern
ment is involved in the maintenance of the award,
and only a little time ago they were thinking of
sending a ship of war to compel the Sultan of
Zanzibar to act in accordance with his agreement.
On the other hand, it is to be observed that the
Sultan of Zanzibar is greatly impoverished, that he
is much in debt, that he can with difficulty pay the
subsidy, and that his financial exigencies compel
him to derive profit from the importation of slaves.
It has often been stated, that if he were released
from the necessity of paying the subsidy, he would
fall readily into an arrangement for the entire sup
pression of the slave trade in the territories and
waters subject to him.
It is at this point that 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.
and the
Foreign Office come into conflict with each other.
The former wish to maintain the present relations
of Muscat and Zanzibar, as a point of good faith.
The latter wish to annul the present compact, so as
to obtain more readily the good offices of Zanzibar
for the suppression of the slave trade.
Now, Zanzibar may be embarrassed by the pay
ment of the subsidy; but Muscat must be equally,
if not more, embarrassed by its non-payment, as it
is an item of revenue, to the punctual ‘payment of
which it was fairly entitled to look. And, as long
as it is unpaid, Muscat will allege its non-pavment
as an excuse for disorders of all kinds, including
non-fulfilment of money engagements to others, and
irregular means of levying revenue, by piracy, &c.
These irregularities have commenced, and Persia is
complaining of them. Of these Persian complica
tions I will presently speak more in detail.
Apart from these considerations, it has been
shown that we are bound, in good faith, to insist
upon the payment of the subsidy to Muscat, or
else, it may be said, to pay it ourselves. 1 do not
howeevr, think that this would meet the diffi
culty. For, by relieving Zanzibar from the nominal
payment, we should break down the whole compact
between the Chiefs, and Muscat would be at liberty
to make war on Zanzibar, and the States of Oman
would thus revert to the unfortunate condition in
which they were held before Coghlan’s arbitration
About this item
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A printed memorandum written by John William Kaye, Political Secretary to 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. , 1 July 1868.
The memorandum discusses the complexities of relations between Muscat and Zanzibar, in the first instance, and Muscat and Persia, in the second instance, especially in light of the subsidy Zanzibar is obligated to pay annually to Muscat and the yearly payment Muscat pays Persia for the lease of the port of Bandar Abbas. The author suggests what Britain's course of action should be in both cases. He ends with a criticism of the way the region is administered, calling for the frequent overlap of responsibility between the Foreign Office and the Government of India to be dealt with.
- Extent and format
- 3 folios
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: ff 18-20.
Pagination: the document has an original, printed pagination system from 1 to 6.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/18/B2/1
- Title
- 'Zanzibar, Muscat, and Persia. Memorandum by Political Secretary'
- Pages
- 18r:20v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence