"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٥‎٦‎٥] (١٧٨٢/٧٠٨)

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showed; it was not regarded by the French as a bar to the renewal of papers
in favour of existing holders. In April Lord Lansdowne handed to M.
Cainbon a memorandum; answering the French complaints of the previous
year and recapitulating the chief points of the case; upon which, it was
observed, the two Governments appeared to be in accord ; and simulta
neously a request was made that a list of the native vessels and owners
considered to be entiled to the use of the French flag might be furnished
by the French to the Sultan and also to the British Consul at Masqat.
Matters were thus leisurely progressing towards a settlement, and the Suddeii crisis
objections of the British Government and of the Sultan had already 0 cafl 1 0 e > nC
resulted in a considerable, abatement of the pretensions of the French, 1S03.
when suddenly, in the spring of 1903, in consequence of two unforeseen
accidents, the question of the French flag suddenly assumed a somewhat
dangerous aspect. On the 26th of March the sailing vessel " Khadhra "
of Sur, flying French colours, attempted to leave that port in defiance
of the orders of 'Abdullah-bin-Salim, the chief of the Bani Bu 'Ali,
and was fired upon* and forcibly detained by the ChieFs men. Again, on
the 9th of April, quarantine was broken at Masqat by five natives of Sur
arriving in a British mail steamer from Bombay, three of whom, in con
sequence of their connection with boats using the French flag, weie
regarded by the French Vice-Consulate as under its protection, the
fugitives, who immediately made for Sur in a sailing boat, were
pursued by an official of the Sultan in a steam launch lent
for the purpose by H.M.S. "Perseus," and were recaptured. In the
first of these two cases—which occurred almost simultaneously with
the circulation in France of a rumour that Britain was about to annex
Masqat-the French Vice-Consul claimed an indemnity of $1;500 for
the detention of the vessel; and, in the second, the instant release of t e
alleged French proteges. The Sultan, while declaring his readiness to be
bound by a joint decision of the French and British Governments in
either case, would not in the meantime accede to the deman s o
M. Laronce, but proceeded instead to deal with the offendeis m e
quarantine case as ^Omani subjects, and sentenced them to three mont
imprisonment each. The British Government on receipt of this ne
decided to support the Sultan; on the ground that he was justifie ,
pending a settlement of the French flag question, in acting upon bl
own view of his rights; and H.M.S. "Naiad" was accord
ingly sent to join H.M.S. " Perseus 5 ' in Masqat harbour, w ere
both ships were present before the arrival on the 11th of i y
French war-ship « Infernet." The French Consul at Masqat, i njcon-^
* See also page 580 post.