‏"ملخص الأحداث والتدابير الرئيسية التي اتخذها سمو نائب الملك اللورد كرزون من كيدلستون، نائب الملك والحاكم العام للهند في إدارة الخارجية. ‏I‏. يناير ١٨٩٩-أبريل ١٩٠٤. ‏II‏. ديسمبر ١٩٠٤-نوفمبر ١٩٠٥. المجلد IV. بلاد فارس والخليج الفارسي." [و‎‎٢‎٩] (٣٨٦/٦٢)

44,
The way of Russian navigation and trade was prepared by a mission which
. ,' J travelled extensively in the Gulf region in
Bussian navigation and commeroo. 19 00 ; the principal of the two members
composing the mission was M. Syromiatnikoff, a journalist of St. Petersburg.
The recommendations of M. Syromiatnikoff were accepted by the Russian Gov
ernment and took shape in the foundation before the end of 1900 of the “ Rus
sian Steam Navigation and Trading Company”, an association having its head
quarters at Odessa and enjoying the liberal support of the Russian Treasury.
Two voyages were made by the Company’s steamers in 1901 and later the service
became quarterly. In 1903 a regular contract for twelve years was concluded
between the Russian Government and the Company on the basis of an annual
subsidy of 200,000 roubles, and the Company proceeded to establish offices and
appoint agents at all the principal Gulf ports. Purtber othcinl assistance was
rendered to Russian trade by two commercial missions under Prince Anatouni
which visited Southern Persia in 1901 and 1905.
While the Russian Government were labouring to create for themselves a
military and commercial position in the
French activity. Gulf, the Prench Republic, though its
schemes were of a less grandiose character, was somewhat similarly employed.
The existence of an understanding between Prance and Russia was detected
by the British Legation at Tehran in 1899 ; co-operation between the two
countries in the Gulf was openly recommended by the “ Novoe Vremya ”
of St. Petersburg in 1901 ; and local indications of joint action were not want
ing, such as the tour of the “ Boyarin ” and “ Infernet ”, already mentioned, in
19l)3. At the same time it would be a mistake to suppose that Prance had no
separate ambitions of her own ; the fac ts on the contrary indicate that she aimed
at the establishment of a Prench protectorate or quasi-protectorate at some
point in eastern Oman and that she was in search of a naval poi/it (Tapput in
the same neighbourhood. A persevering endeavour was made to create by the
wholesale grant of her flag, especially to natives of Sur, a maritime class of
Arabs dependent on her protection and subject to her authority ; and an
attempt by her to effect an occupation of the valuable harbour of Jisseh near
Maskat was very nearly successful. In fact it is obvious that Prance entertain
ed designs, unconnected with the furtherance of Russian policy, upon the Oman
coast between Maskat and Ras al-Hadd, and possibly upon the hinterland as
well ; for the Prench Vice-Consul, during a period of years, maintained intimate
relations at Sur with the BeniBuAli and Jenebeh tribes who occupy also a
large part of the interior.
The system of granting Prench flags to subjects of the Sultan of Oman
appears to have been introduced about
Grant of French flags. Ib91, and in 1897 the Sultan began, with
the support of the British Government, to protest against this invasion of his sov
ereign rights; but his objections were ignored by the Prench Government. The
practice became a serious matter politically between 1897 and 1903, during
which period sea-faring Omanis were transferred in ever increasing numbers
from the jurisdiction of the Sultan to that of Prance. The inducements to
accept the Prencb flag were considerable, for it not only enabled rebellious
Arabs to withdraw themselves from the authority of their lawful sovereign, but
also conferred on those of them who w^ere engaged in the importation of slaves
or exportation of arms—and there were many such—immunity from search by
British war-vessels. Unsuccessful attempts were also made by the Prench
authorities to extend the Prench flag system toTrucial Oman and the Persian
coast.
Manoeuvres by the Prench to secure a naval base on the Oman coast
began in 1898 with the visit of the gun-
French attempt to obtain a naval base. k oa t “ Gab£s ” to Maskat; her commander
was successful in obtaining from the Sultan a written concession for a Prench
coaling station, of which, however, the exact site was left undetermined. Later
in the year another Prench gunboat, the “ Scorpion arrived at Maskat with
presents for the Sultan ; and Jisseh, a small but good and defensible harbour,