'File 35/86 I A 32 Muscat Commercial Treaty, 1891: revision of 1905' [‎126r] (255/480)

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treaty as sense is maintained tbrougbout, thougb.
verbal adaptations bringing Arabic translation
closer to English seem to me advisable.
A rticle IV.
There shall be perfect freedom of commerce
and navigation between the two High Contracting
Parties ; and each shall allow the subjects of the
other to enter all ports, creeks, and rivers belong
ing to the tiwo Governments, with their vessels
and cargoes except places in a state of war or m
which there is danger to life or property on
account of want of security in those parts. j^ en
the entry to those partiThall be after permission.
(1) And to the subjects of both parties there shall
be license to travel, and pursue ^ commerce and
trade, whether wholesale or retail, in each others
dominions, and therein to hire, purchase or possess
houses, warehouses, and shops, and stores, and
lands. (2) And also it shall be lawful for the
\ s ubiects of the two High Parties (3) everywhere,
that they shall buy, barter, sell—and that direct,
or by means of agents-all kinds of merchandise,
articles of import, or native production, for sale
in their respective countries (3) or for transport to
foreign countries, except intoxicants and warlike
ma terial. Then it is for the Sultan o f Maskat or
f^Tlu s""naib the license or pro hibition oi: their
^ thrnr sal e throughout his dominions.
(4) And it is lawful to them also that they should
consult on the fixing of the price of all such goods
and produce with their owner or his agent without
the smallest interference on the part of the officials
of the Highness of both Parties (5) and to His
Hio-hne ss the Sultan is reserved th e privilege and
^^ITln ail that pertains to commer ce and
Profits , . .
Native produce throughout hia dominions. (6)
ta^es —
Note (1 ). This gives a handle for constant
T^ f^^e and thS^h a natural enough pro
vision. if we were sure that it would be reasonably
^d Tmight be most embarrassin g in praotise. It
^I dT if it was to be seriou sly considered, have
to be coupled with a reservation m aking an excep-
in favour of British subjects dom iciled in the
: S^ TTn a state of war or insecurity. Otherwise,
at e very Bedouin squable—and it is believed that
half Oman is in a permanent state of insecurity
at le ast, if not of war, .British subjects might be
preve nted from going to look after tbeir families
^T ^nerty when these were m the greatest
(iang er. No doubt the real object of the excep-
^T Ts to give His Highness a pretext to oppose
niTtrav elling by European travellers, and especially
^^^^anf.TcrP.nts. which he regards w ith the
o-reatest fear and suspicion.
i T'
(2) The new addition is naturally left out, as
His Highness did not know of it, when this draft
£rea,t.v was prepared. I have so far had no opp 01 '*
tunity
new proviso.
oulty.
of learn ing His Highnesses views on this
I do not anticipate any great diffi-