'Muscat French Flag Question'

Content

This volume contains correspondence predominantly between Major W G Grey, Officiating Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. ; Percy Zachariah Cox, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. at Bushire; the Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department; and A Barnett Barker, Lieutenant-Commander, HMS Lapwing ; and Fayṣal bin Turkī Āl Bū Sa‘īd, the Sultan of Muscat. The volume primarily concerns a dispute between Great Britain and France with regards to the flying of the French flag by Muscat dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. boats, resulting in arbitration by the Hague Tribunal. Subjects discussed within the volume include:

• The case of a British ship (HMS Terpsichore ) boarding a vessel flying the French flag (folios 320-324);
• The French Consul's visit (folio 76);
• A landing at Gwadar in 1896 by the Perso-Baluch Boundary Commission without reference to the Sultan of Muscat (folios 111, 119);
• The objection to the inclusion of the Sultan in the Hague Arbitration (folio 7) and selection of members for the Hague Arbitration (folio 14);
• The captain Ali bin Salim Walad Taib [‘Alī bin Sālim Walad Tayyib?] (folio 289);
• Boundaries of Muscat as given for the Hague Arbitration (folios 168, 231, 266);
• Instructions that the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. should not interfere with French consul's visit (folio 76);
• The case of ‘Abd al-Ḥasan bin ‘Abdullāh, known as Habluk (folio 67-68);
• The treatment of the Khoja's (f. 42); Nasib bin Muhammad [Naṣīb bin Muḥammad] (folio 67);
• The naval contractor and French protection (folio 60);
• Russian interests (folio 17);
• Question of the flag on Telegraph Island off Musandam (folios 201, 27);
• Boundaries with Ras-el-Khaimah (Ras al-Khaymah)and Shargah (Sharjah) (folio 200); slave trade under French flag (folio 320).

Documents of particular interest include:

• Agreements between the United Kingdom and France referring to Arbitration: the Question of the Grant of the French Flag to Muscat Dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. , February 1905 (folios 1C-4);
• Memorandum regarding the history of the Khoja Community now in Oman (folios 39-45); letters of Faysal bin Turki Al Bu Said (folios 47, 53-54);
• Documents concerning the interpretation of a 15 June 1900 (16 Ṣafar 1318) notification ( ‘ilān ) in Arabic by Faysal bin Turki regarding flying flags of foreign governments (folios 134-144, 179-186);
• 'List of dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. owners supposed by French to be under their protection' (folios 177-178);
• And Nine separate notes in reply to various statements made in the French case for the Hague Tribunal (folios 204-233);
• 'Foreign Department Notes. Limits of the Sultanate of Muscat', by John Gordon Lorimer, dated 22 March 1905 (folios 267-268)

Extent and format

1 volume (332 folios)

Arrangement

The file has an index on folio 328.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the cover and terminates at the final folio; these numbers are typed, with additions/clarifications/corrections in ink and pencil, and can be found 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. Foliation errors: 1, 1A, 1B and 1C; 42 and 42A. Fold out folios: 36, 53-54, 93 and 93A; 138; 183; 185.

Written in

English, Arabic and French in Latin and Arabic script

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

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/R/15/1/404

Former external reference(s)

A Series: 35/85 II (A9) Confidential Series: A 9

History of this record

Date(s)

1 Feb 1905-7 Aug 1905 (CE, Gregorian)

Context of creation

In March 1862, the Governments of France and Great Britain signed a declaration in which they reciprocally agreed to respect the independence of the Sultan of Muscat. A dispute arose between the two countries when France issued papers to certain subjects of the Sultan authorising them to fly the French flag, and who then claimed extra-territorial rights in the territorial waters of the Sultan. As leaders of an international movement to curtail the slave trade, the British protested the grant of French flags to Arab dhows (traditional sailing vessels) whose immunity from search made them valued by the slave traders. There was a divergence of views as to the significance of the above-mentioned declaration of 1862 with regard to the concession of the French flag, and as to the nature of the privileges and immunities claimed by the subjects of the Sultan. Being unable to reach agreement, the two Governments decided to submit the questions to arbitration. See http://www.haguejusticeportal.net/index.php?id=6128 [accessed 09/09/2014].

Subjects

FlagsForeign relationsBoundaries

People & organisations

Permanent Court of Arbitration, The HagueKhōjah Community

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'Muscat French Flag Question', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/404, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000193.0x000179> [accessed 25 April 2024]

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