File 4684/1913 'Pt 1 Muscat rebellion' [‎5v] (19/332)

As regards the proposal that the Sultan should be required to furnish an
undertaking not to conclude with foreign Powers, other than Great Britain and
France, fresh treaties without the assent of His Majesty’s Government, Sir E.
Grey concurs in the opinion of the Marquess of Crewe that such an arrange
ment would in itself be desirable in British interests, but he would wish to
make the following observations on the suggestion :—
This country is under a treaty obligation to France to respect the inde
pendence of the Sultan of Muscat, and the exaction from His Highness of an
undertaking of the kind proposed would undoubtedly constitute an interference
with his sovereign rights.
Were His Majesty’s Government to ask the French Government to agree
to an arrangement whereby the Sultan would be bound not to enter into any
treaty with a third Power without the assent of Great Britain, there is little
doubt that the French Government, on their side, would demand that France
should be put on a footing of equality with Great Britain in this matter.
Such a demand would involve the conclusion by the Sultan of an agreement
not with the Government of India but with Great Britain and France stipulating
that without their assent he shall not enter into a treaty with any third Power.
Such an arrangement would be to the advantage of France, and there is
little doubt that the French Government would agree to it. Sir E. Grey is,
however, in doubt whether the Government, of India would welcome the
assumption by France of so leading a position at Muscat, even though the
particular danger they apprehend—that of the intervention of other European
Powers—would thereby be removed.
Should the Government of India raise no objection to such an arrangement
the agreement to be concluded between His Majesty’s Government and the
French Government might be to the effect that the two Powers, while not
desiring to interfere with the independence of Muscat, to which they are
pledged by the Treaty of 1862, are most anxious not to see any material
modification of the existing relations of the Sultanate with other Powers, and
have therefore agreed to obtain from the Sultan an assurance that he will not
enter into fresh treaties with any Power other than Great Britain and France
without their knowledge and approval.
It would probably be sufficient to affect this agreement by an exchange of
notes which need not necessarily be published.
Should the Government of India reject this suggestion Sir E. Grey is
willing, should it be desired, to approach France with their proposal in its
original form, but he has no confidence that they will accept it, least of all
without difficulty and delay.
I am, &c.,
The Under Secretary of State W. Langley.
for India.