'P. 3 733/1904. Muscat :- Commercial Treaties.' [‎266r] (117/286)

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No. 530, dated Bushire, the 5th (received 14th) March 1911 (Co&fidential).
From— Lieutenant-Colonel P. Z. Cox, C.S.I., C.I.E., Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the
To— The Hon'ble Lieutenant-Colonel Sir A. H. McMahon, K.C.I.E., C.S.I.,
Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department.
I have the honour to refer to the correspondence ending witl
No. 903, dated 22nd April 1906, on the subject of the revision of
2. His Highness the Sultan was informed at the beginning of 1905 of his own
position and ours with reference to the termination or revision of the treaty at
12 months’ notice by either side, and some informal communications were in
progress between him and 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. at the end of 1904 regarding
items which might need modification ; hut these were dropped after receipt of
Foreign Department telegram No. 493-E.B, dated 3rd February 1905, and
have not since been resumed by either party^ We having remained silent, ©
firstly, because the progress of the Hague Arbitration in the French Flag Case
made the juncture inconvenient for discussing anew Treaty, and, subsequently,
because of the developments of the Arms Traffic difficulty and the hope of
coming to some understanding with France, which would admit of the inclu
sion of some provisions for prohibiting or regulating that traffic.
3. It transpired, however, in the course of an exchange of communications
which 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. recently had with the Sultan, in connection with a
complaint regarding the levy of duty on the Batineh coast (which has been
settled for the time being and with which it is not necessary to trouble Govern
ment), that His Highness had been under the impression that the Treaty of
1891 had lapsed, and that, pending the execution of a new one, the terms of
the old instrument were not strictly speaking binding on him. Major Trevor,
however, explained to him that that was not the case, as neither party had
given any formal notice in the direction of termination or revision. His
Highness accepted that position, but at the same time gave formal notice of
1 • • . ^ /-'.n TTT-lI-Vnn fVl O I" TIT 01 IT
Maskat letter No. 1541 , dated 27th November months ending 22nd November 1911.
1910, with enclosures.
4. From our own point of view, it would have been convenient if the <
discussions preliminary to revision could have been postponed for some time
longer, in case any adjustment of the Arms Traffic question and understanding
with France should be achieved in the next few months.^ As, however, the
Sultan has now himself presented his formal request for rev ision, and promises
to inform us of the changes he desires, I presume we must proceed with the
5. Judging from a rough memorandum of the points on which^ he was
anxious for revision, which he gave 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. informally in 1905,
and which he now wishes to treat as a basis of discussion, it w T ould appear that
many of His Highness’s provisional desiderata are either unsuitable lor inclu
sion in a treaty or will prove possible of elimination after preliminary dis
cussion. Subject, therefore, to the approval of the Government ol India, 1
am instructing 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. to proceed to discuss these proposals with
His Highness, and in due course to submit the residue m a suitable torm lor
consideration by Government.
p rom Major A. P. Trevor, 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. and His Britannic Majesty s Consul,
Maskat,
To The Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Bushire.
*
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
mercial Treaty with Maskat.
negotiations.
No. 1541, dated Maskat, the 27th November 1910.
3020 F. D.