'Muscat Dhows Arbitration. In the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague. Grant of the French Flag to Muscat Dhows. The case on behalf of the Government of His Britannic Majesty.' [‎50ar] (110/208)

way debars either Party from pursuing its own
advantages and furthering the interests of its
own subjects trading in the Sultan's dominions,
providing that it does not in the pursuance of
these objects impair the independence of His
Highness; and that so far as bond fide trade
and commerce is concerned, the interests of both
Great Britain and France are safeguarded
by the most-favoured-nation clauses in tire
Treaties of 1814 and 1891 (which are quoted in
the British Case, pp. 6-9). The difference in the
position of the two countries in Muscat lies
mainly in the fact that Great Britain has large
trade interests in Oman, and that many traders
from India and other parts of the British Empire
are settled there. On the other hand, the trade and
trade interests of France are small, her subjects
there settled are few, and the functions of her
Consular Agent appear to be political rather than
commercial, not excepting his action with respect
to the Omanis, whose possession of French flags
and papers has led to this arbitration.
The French version of the course of events
which has led to the present dispute is the first,
as it is the only, material part of the French
Memoire. It begins (p. 6) with a statement that
France lias always abstained from interference
in the internal affairs of Oman, and has never
sought by indirect means or special compacts to
evade her promises. But the gist of the British
Case and the ground of the complaints made by
His Highness the Sultan are that in regard to
the important matter of Omani vessels carrying
the French fla<? the action of IVance has trenched
on the independence of the Sultan and on his
authority over his own subjects, and that the
description of Siir (in the French Case, p. 44) as
semi-independent, so far as it is warranted by
fact, is a description of the effect produced on the
Sultan's independence and authority by the
action of France with respect to the seafaring
population of that town.
It is as impossible for His Majesty's Govern
ment to dissociate themselves from the acts of their
Agents in Oman and of the authorities in India,
who are specially intrusted with safeguarding
British interests in Arabia and Persia, as it is for
the French Government to dissociate themselves
from the acts of French officials with reference
to the francisation of Omani vessels and the pro
tection of Omanis in Oman from their natural