'Volume II. MEMORANDA REGARDING OTHER EXTERNAL AFFAIRS. 1905.' [‎39r] (82/228)

t 3 ]
W. Willcocks’ scheme of irrigation in
Mesopotamia, and will not in consequence
require Mr. Preston’s services. Sir N.
O’Conor reports that the capitalists in
London, when approached by Sir W.
■Willcocks, did not seem inclined to fall in with
his proposals, and suggested that he would
obtain more encouragement both official and
financial, at Berlin. He intends submitting
his project to the Deutsche Bank and other
German financiers, and is going to Berlin for
the purpose of starting negotiations (vide
paragraph 6 of the Memorandum for August
1905). b
& The temporary passing of the Sheerifate
administration into the more vigorous hands of
Ali Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , has been hailed with relief by
the majority of the Hedjaz notables and mer
chants and Bedouin Chiefs. It is reported
that the new Sheerif, Abdilla, who is of
advanced age and in ailing health, was to
leave Constantinople forthwith (vide para
graph 7 of the Memorandum for August
1905). b
9. The serious trouble in Assir is said to
have much diminished (vide paragraph 11
of the Memorandum for July 1905).
PERSIAN GULP.
10. Maskat.—(Vide paragraph 17 of
Memorandum for July 1905.) It is reported
that, between the 21st and 27th August last,
one Nasir Muhammad, Ghelani, of Sur, accom
panied by some other Suris, called on 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. to intercede for the Masirah
prisoners held in confinement as hostages for
the apprehension of the remainder of the
murderers of the crew of S. S. “Baron
Innerdale”.
11. (Vide paragraph 10 of Memorandum
for August 1905.) Reports still continue to
come in from Baluchistan and the North-
West Frontier districts of the importation
of arms from Mask at and the Gulf Ports.
On a representation from Major Cox, request
ing that the Home Government may be
induced to take up the question with a view
to the French Government being addressed on
the modification of the Articles of our Treaties
with Maskat, under which the importation of
arms into Oman at present is unrestricted, it
has been decided by the Government of India
to await the settlement of the Maskat Award
before proceeding again with the case. In a
further letter Major Cox reports that the local
Customs administration are well aware of the
amount of smuggling now going on, and are
doing their best to devise measures to stop it.
M. Goguyer, the French arms merchant
of Maskat, left for Bahrein on the 7th
August last.