"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٥‎٤‎٨] (١٧٨٢/٦٩١)

548
1897 the services of the French war-vessel "Surprise" were offered for
the suppression of a rebellion in Dhufar but were declined by the Sultan.
The scheme for advancing French influence by a wide distribution of
the French flag, though now for the first time boldly pursued in 'Oman,
was by no means a novelty in French political practice. So early as 1860
the French colonial authorities at Nossibe and Mayotte began to issue
French papers to owners of native vessels who were not French subjects;
and in 1863 the circumstance was brought to the notice of Her Majesty's
Government as an obstacle to the suppression of the slave trade, for
vessels to which the French flag was granted became, ipso facto, exempt
from search by British cruisers. In 1869 it was reported that nearly
eveiy native vessel to the south of Zanzibar now sailed under French
colours, and evidence of the manner in which the French flag was abused
to give cover to the slave trade in African waters continued to
accumulate. This aspect of the question specially engaged the attention
of Sir Bartle Frere on his mission to Zanzibar in 1873, but it is foreign
to our present subject.
It was in 189], about the time when French interest in 'Oman began
to revive and the Franco-Russian understanding relating to the Persian
Gulf was formed, that the question of the French flag first attracted
serious attention at Masqat; it was found that already 13 Nakhudas of
Sur were in possession of French colours, and that the flag was now granted
not only in Madagascar but also at Obock, and even at Aden by the
rench Consul at Aden. The Sultan, who foresaw that a French claim
to protect vessels at sea might easily develop into a claim to protect the
persons and property of 'Om&ni subjects connected with those vessels on
s ore, at once took up the question; but, though he succeeded in
obtaining the attendance of 200 Jannabah at Masqat to discuss it, he
was unable to check the growth of the practice. The Sultan also
appealed to the Government of India for advice and proposed to address
a remonstrance to the head of the French Republic, but the Government
of Indm requested him to refrain from direct pretest until they had
inform'I h' « ^ ^ the ^e time, however, they
no Xl 1 A the ^ flag by his ^ -W have
12^0^^ sa£eiy take ^ ^
subjects as might Z "t f ^
the British ami f, i n fla £- Communication between
by the " ! T T" 8 " EUI - 0pe resnlted - disavowal
the next v«ur the fl ' Cc " lsu ' at Aden, and early in
the flagS 1S6Ued at ^en were withdrawn from the holders: