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Coll 20/40 'Muscat: Sultan's request for appointment of a British Officer as Adviser to undertake improvements at Gwadur' [87r] (174/379)
The record is made up of 1 file (185 folios). It was created in 15 May 1945-8 May 1948. 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.
Copy of letter dated the 18th March, 1945, from His
Highness the Sultan of Muscat and Oman, Dhofar, to the
Assistant
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.
, Muscat, at Salalah.
After Compliments,
Thank you for your letter dated the 9th March, 1945,
in regard to the appointment of a British Officer to the
service of our Government. Since we first mentioned the
matter to you in the general terms stated in your letter,
we have given the question our further consideration and
hope that what follows will make our wishes clear and pro
vide you with the information you require.
our wish to acquire the services
of a British Officer to be appointed as our Minister for
Foreign Affairs. The nature of the duties and responsi
bilities which at present attach to this post are known
to you, and it is our intention that the Officer should
take full charge of them. All important matters - for
instance those which concern our policy and the Treaty -
would receive our personal attention as before, though
we may require the British Officer to assist and advise
in any matters which we saw fit to refer to him.
Secondly, while it is our desire that the officer
whose services we wish to acquire, be designated our
Minister for Foreign Affairs, and that he should occupy
himself principally with the affairs of that post we
should wish to entrust to him certain additional respon
sibilities of which the more important are as follows :
(a) We may require him to act as our Financial Adviser.
(b) He would take over the Municipal administration of
Muscat and Mutrah.
(c) We should desire him to hold a watching brief over
the officials of our Government and to settle any
matters which arise between them in our absence
from Muscat. He would make tours of our terri
tories (Ras-al-Hadd to Malahah) for this purpose
and for the purpose of enabling him to make pro
posals to us for improvements in the administrations.
(d) We should require him to examine the various fields
for development and the possibilities for obtaining
progressive improvement in the welfare of our
people, and to advise us on these matters.
We shall be glad to be informed whether a suitable
officer can be found for the purposes we have mentioned and to
be given an indication of the terms that would be acceptable to
him. We have no objection to the loan of an officer from the
service of your Government but would like to know whether he
has worked in Arab countries and if he can speak Arabic.
Yours sincerely,
Sd. SAID BIN TAIMUR
Copied.
G.A.M.
About this item
- Content
Correspondence relating to the effort to find a suitable officer to fill the role of adviser to the Sultan of Muscat, as requested by the Sultan himself. The papers cover the discussion over the requirements of the role, terms of service, and the long search for a suitable candidate, spanning over three years. Wilfred Thesiger is one of the most discussed candidates and correspondence from him is contained in the file. Other correspondents include officials at the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in Muscat, the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , 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. (later the Commonwealth Relations Office), the Resident Minister at Cairo, the Colonial Office, the Foreign Office, the Government of India (External Affairs Department), the Burma Office, and the British Legation in Amman. Correspondence from Kinahan Cornwallis and Bertram Thomas, who were asked for their views on possible candidates, is also included.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (185 folios)
- Arrangement
The file is arranged in chronological order from the back to the front.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 198; 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.
A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 20/40 'Muscat: Sultan's request for appointment of a British Officer as Adviser to undertake improvements at Gwadur' [87r] (174/379), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3000, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100054959492.0x0000af> [accessed 5 April 2025]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/3000
- Title
- Coll 20/40 'Muscat: Sultan's request for appointment of a British Officer as Adviser to undertake improvements at Gwadur'
- Pages
- 86r:87v, 68r:69v, 39r:40v, 8r
- Author
- Āl Bū Sa‘īd, Sa‘īd bin Taymūr
- Usage terms
- The copyright status is unknown. Please contact [email protected] with any information you have regarding this item.