'MEMORANDUM. Grant of French Flags to Muscat Dhows.'
IOR/L/PS/18/B154
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The record is made up of 4 folios. It was created in Jan 1906. 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. .
About this record
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This memorandum by Ronald William Graham, Foreign Office, London, was printed for the use of the Foreign Office in January 1906 and concerns the grant of French flags to Muscat dhows.
The memorandum outlines the background of key relevant treaties: the 1844 Treaty between France and Muscat granting extraterritorial rights and the 1891 Treaty between Great Britain and Muscat granting similar rights and most favoured, nation treatment for British subjects in France; also the 1862 British-French declaration engaging reciprocally to respect the independence of the Sultan of Muscat.
As France had only partially ratified the Brussels General Act in 1892 it preserved its claim to resist the right of search. Men from Sur involved in the oversea slave trade used this policy to obtain the benefit of the French flag, and avoid detention and search on the high seas.
The memorandum details two incidents in 1903 which brought the matter to a head. A French flagholder named Mubarak took his dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. out of the harbour in order to avoid a fine. His vessel was fired upon and a shot went through its flag leading to a protest from the French.
On 8th April 1903 five Arabs from Sur, arrived at Muscat from Bombay. As Bombay was an infected port, the men were placed in quarantine. The next day they broke quarantine and the Sultan had them arrested and imprisoned. The French consul and Commander of the French warship Infernet protested.
These incidents led to the submission to arbitration of the International Court at The Hague. The memorandum gives brief details of the British and French arguments to the tribunal.
- Extent and format
- 4 folios
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the first folio and terminates at the last folio; 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. Pagination: The booklet also contains an original typed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script
- Type
- Archival file
Archive information for this record
- Original held at
- 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.
- Access conditions
Unrestricted
- Archive reference
- IOR/L/PS/18/B154
- Former external reference(s)
- Confidential Series: B154
- Date(s)
- Jan 1906 (CE, Gregorian)
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History of this record
Related search terms
- Subjects
- International relationsTreatiesFlags
- Places
- FranceMuscat
- People & organisations
- Sir Ronald William Graham
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'MEMORANDUM. Grant of French Flags to Muscat Dhows.', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B154, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000833.0x0001ab> [accessed 6 May 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/18/B154
- Title
- 'MEMORANDUM. Grant of French Flags to Muscat Dhows.'
- Pages
- 1r:4v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence