'Muscat: 1908-1928' [‎42r] (5/18)

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o •
III. Internal History of Muscat from Accession of Sultan Taimur
4th October 1913 to 1928.
18. Sultan Faisal died on 4th October 1913.* His son, Saiyid Taimur
ad m practice it not tormally, for some years previously been recognised
as hen apparent,| and while His Majesty's Government had in the past in
Muscat postponed recognition of a successor until they were satisfied that a
paiticular claimant was assured of the general support of the more important
elements and could be regarded as the de facto ruler, the demise of the late
buitan at a time when the interior was in a state of revolt, the urgent
necessity of establishing a fresh administrative centre, and the fact that
Smyid laimur was familiar with the policy of his predecessor, and could
probably be relied upon to follow that policy in the vital matter of the
arms traffic, decided them iu favour of his immediate recognition 1 This
the I olitical Agent was authorised to convey to the Saiyid in November 1913.
Ihe french Government, who had suggested that the two Governments
rcconnaissent en rheme temps the new ruler,§ were informed that while
His Majesty s Government, as they had already indicated, adhered to the
Declaration ot 1802 it was their usual practice to recognise the de facto
ruler, and that they had accordingly already authorised the Government of
India to take this step tn the case of Sultan Taimur, especially as they
understood that the French Consul at Muscat only awaited the receipt of
instructions by his British colleague himself to accord official recognition on
behalf of F ranee.
P. 4116/13.
t J el. from Vieeroy
to S. of S. for I.,
Oct. 20 1913,
P. 4318/13.
t P-O. to I.O.,
Oct. 31 1913,
P. 4518.
§ M. Gambon to
Sir E. Grev, Nov. 13
1913, P. 4739/13.
F.O. to I.O.. Not. 2t
1913, P. 4739.
19. TUit the recognition had not been unconditional. The new Sultan
had been required as a prior condition to state that be accepted all the
•obligations which his father bore towards His Majesty’s Government, and
that m regard to the aims tiaffic as well as other matters he intended to
pursue his father’s policy, and undertook “ to be guided by our advice in all
important matters.’H And, immediate recognition having been granted il Tei. from viceroy
by His Majesty’s Government on compliance by the Saiyid with these p 6 ^ 1913 ’
preliminary demands, further requirements were presented to him as a
■condition of the continuance of the subsidies granted to his predecessor.
—9. Of these subsidies the Zanzibar subsidy was one the precise
conditions antecedent to the grant of which are a matter of some dispute.fi ^ C f. Lor i P 500
It would, however, appear that those conditions are that a Sultan should be footnote. ' ' 3 ’
acknowledged by His Majesty’s Government and should promise friendship
and the maintenance of his treaty obligations, and that subject to this he might
prefei an absolute claim. I he arms traffic suosidy of Its. 1 lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees per annum
had, however, been personal to Sultan Feisal, and, while it was essential
that the new ruler should afford the co-operation in the suppression of the
trade 10 secure which it had been granted, he could prefer no claim to it as
•of right.
LM. After lengthy discussion between the Government of India, the India
Office and the Foreign Office, it was finally decided that the Sultan should
pending further examination on two connected questions—the assent of His
Highness to the establishment of a Muscat Levy Corps, and his agreement
to conclude no further treaties with foreign Powers without the consent of
His Majesty’s Government. The second of these questions was one which
had arisen towards the close of the reign of Sultan Faisalff, the disposal of
which presented political difficulties owing to the position of France vis-d-vis
the State, and which was still under examination when the outbreak of the
Luropean War in August 1914 made its immediate pursuit unnecessary.
It has not been revived. For various reasons the proposal to raise a Muscat
Levy Corps (to which the Foreign Office saw no political objection in 1914§§
so long as the force was nominally a Muscat force and commanded by officers
nominally in the service of the Sultan) produced no result until 1921 (see
para. 31).
22. The arms traffic subsidy was renewed without a very clear definition
-of the terms of its renewal, though the intention both of His Majesty’s
** I.O. to F.O.,
Deo. 31 1912; tel. to
Vicerov. Jan. 17
1914, 1*. 5152/13,
130/14.
ft I.O. to F.O.,
July 19 1911 ; F.O.
to I.O.. Jan. 23 1914,
P. 5152.
F.O. to I.O.,
Dec. 31 1914,
P. 4695/14.
§§ F.O. to I.O.,
Jan. 23 1914,
P. 301/14.