'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎166v] (337/386)

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was despatched to Maskafc with the ostensible object of conductinor tliis exami
nation and of investigating the question whether any dhows with Erench papers
were implicated in the slave trade.
The actual proceedings of the Commander of the Erench vessel were
Teieg-ftm to secretary of State, dated the 26 tn reported by Captain Cox to be of a very
August 1900 . different,na,ture. lie made no enquiries
into the question whether the Erench flag-holders were implicated in the slave
1 rade, but directed his endeavours mainly, towards intimidating the Sultan into
returning to the dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. owners the French papers which they had handed over
to him: and to persuading His Highness to receive as an intermediary
between His Highness and the Erench Consul one Abdul Aziz whom the
Sultan had dismissed from his service. The attitude maintained by the
Sultan in this situation w r as most satisfactory. He persisted, in his refusal to
receive Abdul Aziz, and declined tc return the papers to their owners. The
Erench vessel then visited Sur, and apparently persuadel some of the Sheikhs
to recant from their undertaking given to the Sultan, and to plead that they
had given it under pressure. Two of the owners of the papers, however, who
had handed them over to the Sultan, came into Mi skat and, after receiving
their papers back from the Sultan, banded them over to M. Ottavi. On her
way to Sur, the “ Drome ” met and stopped several Suri dhows proceeding to
Basrah, and compelled them to come to Maskat flying the tri-colour.
It is important to notice that, in the course of this incident, no exception
was taken either by M. Ottavi or by the French Commander to the terms of
the Sultan’s,edict, and that M. Ottavi stated, with a somewhat remarkable
divergence from the truth,.that he had never claimed to give the flag-holders
protection.
It was not until the “ Drome
• Serretnry of State’a telegiam, dated the 20th
September 1900.
had left Maskat that the Government of
India were authorised* to convey to
Captain Cox the approval of Her
Majesty’s Government of his action in sqpporting the firm tnd becoming
attitude of the Sultan and in protesting against the French demands.
A second French vessel (the “ Catinat ’ , ) called at Maskat in December
1900, and took the opportunity to visit Sur. The Erench
to have made much of the French- flag-holders, and to
Commander is said
have assured them
that he had settled the matter of the flags with the Sultan in a satisfactory
way, and that His Highness had agreed to let them all remain Erench subjects.
lu April 1901, Captain Cox suggested that the Sultan might be advised to
issue a further notification, in continuation of his edict above referred to, to
the effect that, from a date to be fixed, none of his subjects would he permitted
to fly within his territories or in his territorial waters any foreign flag except
with the written authority of the Sultan ; and that any one acting iu coutra-
\ ention of this order would be liable to flue or other punish nent.
This suggestion was forwarded! to His Majesty’s Government with the
t Sefivt despatch to Secretary of state. No. 69 remark that, in the opinion of the Govern-
... _ ment of India, the Sultan would he within
his rights m issuing the notification. But they required the authority of His
Majesty’s Government before advising the Sultan to issue it. That authority
has not yet been accorded.
The subject of the increase of Erench influence in Oman was again brought
into prominence in the summer of the present year, when Captain Cox, with
a geological espert deputed by the Government of India, visited the neighbour-
liood of Sur m order to examine a coal reef said to be situated in the vieinitv.
Ihe exploration was conducted with the full knowledge and consent of the
bultan ; it mot with considerable opposition from the local tribes, wdiioh Captain
Cox attributes apparently with justice, to the adverse influence of the Erench
Consul and Abdul Aziz, who arrived at Sur in a Erench vessel (the “ Internet ”)
a e\\ ays befote the British party, and stirred up the tribes against them.
On the 7th June 1901, a telegram was received from the Secretary of State,
mtimatmg that the loreign Office considered it impossible to maintain that
rench protection and the use of the Erench flag are limited to the high seas