"الإصلاحات في مسقط: الجمارك؛ الموارد المالية، والمفاوضات مع العُـمانيين" [و‎‎١‎٤‎٦] (٥٠٨/٢٩٦)

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From
British Consulate and Political Agency
Muscat, ioth February _ 81JBH(R E
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OONFIOENTIAL PiCCfiOl
waigfi^rrfei^
1 o.t.ioal Ag,ent anl II»I; tM*s Consul, Mliscat*
To
The Civil Commissi oner # Baghdad.
Sir
Please refer to paragraph 23 of Muscat iiary dateiJ icth
February. I have nothln,. to aid to the details there &iven
en the events at Masnaah # I would however emphasise most
strongly that action by us in support of the Sultan, even If
it only be moral support is very necessary, and in addition
will be of material advantage to use.
Tne Sultan has thrown himself practically
unreservedly upon our support now, and his attitude 1s-
M You have paid my debts, you are managing my customs, ajftA T
realise t.iat without your support I should not be able to
maintain my authority atill. But you must maintain it or you
will do nothing with the customs•"
Tiie Sur episode wh«re tne importers
refused to pay the customs dues showed tne Impotence of e
Sultan, an Impotence widch lie confessed. At tne same time he
expressed the opinion that did we not assist nlm there other
porte would follow tne same line as they would see that they
could do so with impunity. In this I entirely a^ree^ with hi*
and kt the time asked for a ship in widen to visit Sur, thouja
there Tm?) no actual danger, simply to show the people tnat we
were behind the Sultan at once and to ensure as far as posslbi
tkat such episodes did not occur in the lutuie» Unfortunately
no ship was available at the tiroe and an invaluable cuance
was lost®
The Masnaan affair is tae Sur affair over