'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for the Years 1911-1914' [‎10v] (25/488)

ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
In the spring, negotiations with France being understood to have come
to nought, suggestions were made to the Government of India that the time
had come for a review of the position. It was decided that it was still
advisable, if possible, not to break with the Sultan, but to make another
attempt to induce him, pending settlement with Frfm 0 ®* to give £8 w o e-
hearted co-operation in the endeavour to reduce the traffic to its legitimate
dimensions. This policy was approved in principle by His M a]estys Gov-
ernment and the Resident was ultimately authorised to have a straight talk
with His Highness the Sultan and endeavour to induce him, m return tor a
substantial increase in his subsidy, to agree to introduce, as a municipal
measure of internal administration, an arrangement under which all arms
imported into Maskat in future would be deposited m a special Customs
magazine and only issued under a system of license and strict registration.
Although-himself preferring the alternative (at present impracticable UI1 ^
Treaty) of total prohibition, the Sultan, after several days discussion with
the Resident and 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. , in November 1911, signified his acceptance
in principle of the Government of India's proposals, m return for an increase
of one lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. per annum in his subsidy and the payment of a lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees i
cash down. Negotiations for the elaboration of this scheme were still m
progress at the conclusion of the year.
Negotiations for the renewal and revision of the Commercial Treaty
between Great Britain and the Maskat State were also started during t e
year; but with the Sultan, reduced to a most difficult and irritable frame ot
mind as the result of the abnormal state of affairs produced by our Arms
Blockade, the satisfactory settlement of the numerous new points for discus
sion in the new Treaty was found to represent an extremely difficult one tor
a newly-arrived 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. to tackle. It was therefore decided between
His Highness and the Resident and generally approved by Government that
the old Treaty should be considered in force for a period longer, up to two-
years if necessary, during which the various points for revision would be
taken up leisurely as suitable opportunities offered. It is proposed to proceed
therewith as soon as the more urgent negotiations in connection with the Arms
Traffic have terminated. „ , . ^ ^
The affairs of Oman pursued the usual tenour of their way and call tor
no special comment in this review.
His Highness, like the Shaikh of Kuwait, and other notables of the
Gulf, was undoubtedly disappointed at not receiving an invitation to His
Maiesty's Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). at Delhi, but the reasons for the inability of Government
to extend the invitation to Potentates beyond India was duly explained to him
and when the time came he co-operated cordially with 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. m
celebrating the occasion in Maskat.
His son, Saiyid Taimur bin Faisal, who it will be remembered attended
the Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). in 1903 on behalf of his father, took the trouble to proceed to
Bombay to have tne honour of witnessing Their Majesties arrival.
At present the general situation on the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. constitutes a
political nettle which will need to be
Trucial Oman A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. . firmly grasped before long, but which
in the meantime it is difficult to handle gently with impunity. Several
causes, some local, some general, have combined to produce these conditions;
firstly, we have had to reckon with the after-effects of the Debai incident ot
December 1910, and the impression which has since got abroad that the
resolute attitude of the inhabitants of Debai on that occasion successtully
deterred the British Government from pursuing measures for the consolida
tion of our influence on that coast which we then had in contemplation;
secondly, we have seen an inconvenient development of the Arms Traffic
problem presented by the transfer of the bulk of the trade from the Oman-
Mekran region to the Upper Gulf, with the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. as the main centre
of radiation, a development which is now subjecting the Shaikhs and people
of the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. to the same process of rapid demoralisation which we
have already witnessed in the cases of Maskat and Southern Persia.
Lastly, the Trucial Principalities have not been immune from the anta
gonising influence of the spirit of pan-Islamism which has for some time past