Skip to item: of 10
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

'Memorandum on the Use of the French Flag by Subjects of the Sultan of Maskat' [‎14r] (1/10)

The record is made up of 1 volume (5 folios). It was created in 1901. It was written in English. The original is part of the 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. .

Transcription

This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.

Apply page layout

Enclosure No. 14 .
MEMORANDUM ON THE USE OF THE FRENCH FLAG BY SUBJECTS
OF THE SULTAN OF MASKAT.
In 1891 reports were received from the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. and from Abstract
the Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. that the French Consular officers at Aden, of
Obokh and Zanzibar had, on numerous occasions, given French papers and the correspondence.
French flag to Native vessels belonging to Sur and other places within the 1891-9 2.
territory of the Sultan of Maskat. In passing on these reports to the Secretary
* Secret despatch No. 92 (External), dated the of State,* the Government of India
^ t (T*m actio'o alleged to have been t.k.a b r the the 0 P iDi °“ that the action of
Consuls at Obokh and Madagascar required veri- the I Tench Consul at Adenf amounted
fic8fcl0n ^ to an assertion of protection over Oman,
and that the French Government should be requested to put a stop to his
proceedings.
Shortly after the matter had been referred to Her Majesty’s Government,
a further report was received from the Resident at Bushire to the effect that
the Sultan of Maskat proposed himself to address a representation to the
French Government, protesting against the issue of French flags and papers to
vessels belonging to his subjects. His Highness represented that the sole
object of the dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. -owners in assuming French protection was to obtain a cloke
for slave-dealing operations. The Government of India, while holding that
it was undesirable that the Sultan should address a protest direct to the French
Government, informed the Resident that the use of the French flag by Maskat
subjects could have no effect as against His Highness. The Sultan, it was
averred, “ has full authority to punish any of his subjects who may infringe
the laws of his country, whatever flag or papers they may have accepted ; and
he may safely take any steps he pleases to uphold his jurisdiction in his own
waters over such of his subjects as have got French flags ”. A copy of the
Resident’s report and of the reply from the Government of India was for
warded to the Secretary of State with Secret despatch No. 147 (External),
dated the 25th August 1891.
In replying to these two despatches, the Secretary of State forwarded { a copy
t Secret despatch No. 441 , dated the 4th December of correspondence with the Foreign Office,
189L from which it appeared that the French
Government had repudiated the action of the French Consul at Aden in
granting French papers and flags to the Suri dhows, and had given an assurance
that it would not be repeated.
It appeared, however, from further reports received from Bombay and
Bushire that the statement regarding the grant of flags and papers at Mada
gascar and Obokh was not without foundation. These reports were forwarded
to London with Secret despatches Nos. 46, 66 and 98 (External), dated, respec
tively, the 23rd March, 4th May and 7th June 1892.
The subject was again brought to the notice of the Government of India in 1894 — 96 .
1894 in connection with the appointment of a French Vice-Consul at Maskat.
The Sultan, having reason to believe that this appointment was likely to be
made, was considerably disturbed at the prospect. He anticipated, in fact, that
the only object of sending a French Consular representative to Maskat was to
assert French protection over the Arabs of Sur who had accepted French flags
and papers. The Resident referred the matter to the Government of India,
and was informed that, in the event of the French Vice-Consul putting'forward
such a claim, the Sultan should be advised to “ refer him to the Declaration,
dated the 10th March 1862, respecting the independence of Maskat and
Zanzibar, and inform him that the assertion of French protection over Suri
boats in Oman waters would be a contravention of that Declaration ”. The
correspondence was reported to the Secretary tf State in Secret despatch

About this item

Content

This file is a memorandum concerning the use of the French flag by dhows belonging to subjects of the Sultan of Maskat [Muscat].

The memorandum is divided up as follows:

  • Abstract of correspondence 1891-92;
  • 1894-96;
  • 1897-99;
  • 1900;
  • 1901;
  • Summary;
  • Extent to which French jurisdiction has been claimed and admitted in the past.
Extent and format
1 volume (5 folios)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: the file's foliation commences at f 14, and terminates at f 18, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located 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. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

'Memorandum on the Use of the French Flag by Subjects of the Sultan of Maskat' [‎14r] (1/10), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B135, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100024313991.0x000002> [accessed 29 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100024313991.0x000002">'Memorandum on the Use of the French Flag by Subjects of the Sultan of Maskat' [&lrm;14r] (1/10)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100024313991.0x000002">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000833.0x000177/IOR_L_PS_18_B135_0001.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000833.0x000177/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image