'P. 3 733/1904. Muscat :- Commercial Treaties.' [‎250r] (85/286)

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on ly careless drafting. The intention ia clpar.
The am endment m note (3) above will remove this
difficulty.
(7) V erbal discrepancies of no importance.
(8) Cl umsy drafting which I trust to be able
to re move as unnecessary in course of discussion.
(9) “Warehouse dues” or “ground rent”
a gain, which might, if at all likely to be approved,
go i n separate Article.
(10 ) I cannot understand the object of this
alter ation if “ ground rent ” ia approved, presum
ably *t would pay Customs Department to keep
them. This should offer no difficulty.
(11) I do not understand why His Highness
offers this indulgence. If he approves of it, there
sepms no reason why we should object t o it.
(12) This is merely an amplification of the rest
of the Treaty and it would s eem only fair and
practically is alread y un derstood. The~Customs
cannot be expected to keep unclaimed g oods^for
ever. It would read better if the final clau se said
“shall !>e forfeit to the Maskat Governm ent^
but we could not prevent His Highness m aking
them a perquisite of the Cust oms Superintendent
if he chose. It would be advisable to put in""a
clause that “ One month before such goods are
declared forfeit to the State i n the case of perish!
aid e goods and three months in th e case of
ordinary goods, the Customs Superintendent mu st
give notice in writing of his intention to declar e
such goods forfeit to the State and to the B ritish
Consul, stating nature of goods, quantit y, Weight,
number, marks and all information likely to lead
to identification of own er, and this irrespective of
whether he has reason to believe th~t~the~g oods
unclaimed are the property of other than British
subjects or not.”
Article VII,
No article whatever shall be prohibited from
being imported^ into, or exported from, the terri
tories of His Highness the Sulta n except intoxi
cants (1). Then the Sultan may decide on the
prohibition or license thereof (2). And further,
when the Sultan may see fit to prohibit the impo rt
or export, of certain goods to prevent injury feare d
b y him, then he ma y prohibit (3) (4).
_ Notes. (1) short like this, the exception might
stand I think, it would be advisable if “ar ms and
ammunition were also added. Add also “with
regard to which two classes of ai tides, the provisions
are laid down in Articles respect ively.
(2) C ould not, I think^ Jbo admitted without
considerable re serve.
_ (3) Far too wide and better omitted altogether.
^^O^j^^bl^J ^djuteffithaVtlmArticle, as amended,
is silent on Export duties. This will have to~be
< £gffiserted 1 presume.
Article 7.
No article whatever shall be prohibited from
being imported into or exported from the terri
tories of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat, and
no export duties are to be levied on goods exported
from those territories except with the consent
of the Government of Her Britannic Majesty,
such consent being subject to the conditions that
may be laid down in the notifications intimating
the same.