Skip to item: of 440
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

File 868/1912 Pt 2 'Arms traffic: arrangements at Muscat for its regulation' [‎70r] (144/440)

The record is made up of 1 volume (215 folios). It was created in 1912. 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

CONFIDENTIAL.
Sii‘ F. Bertie to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received September 19.)
(No. 8. Africa.) K. Paris, September 18, 1912.
I HAVE acted on your instructions with regard to Muscat arms traffic, and I
have given Minister for Foreign Affairs followino memorandum : —
“ Sir F. Bertie is authorised to propose to Minister for Foreign Affairs that matters
at issue between French and British Governments in regard to Muscat arms trade
should be referred to arbitration ; His Majesty s Government to undertake payment of
compensation if the decision be against them, and French Government to undertake
to give such instructions to their consuls at Muscat as will result in French citizens
complying with Sultan’s regulations and of depositing stocks in warehouse ; such stocks
to be held in trust pending decision of question by French and British Governments.”
His Excellency said that he would take proposal into consideration, hut an objection
which occurred to him was that arbitration would be in regard to provisions of a treaty
between France and Muscat to which England was not a party.
I replied that by declaration of 1862 France and England had agreed to respect
independence of Sultan of Muscat, and there was now a difference of opinion in French
and British Governments as to whether the Sultan as an independent Sovereign had or
had not right to control trade in arms in his territory. Incidentally, no doubt, provisions
of treaty of 1844 would come up for discussion, and I appreciated his objection to an
arbitration on that treaty if the 1862 declaration had not concerned question of
independence of Sultan, which France and England had by it undertaken to respect.
Minister for Foreign Affairs said that he regretted that conversations had not
resulted in any agreement, and as he again mentioned information received from t rench
charge d’affaires as to our readiness to treat on basis of compensations, I explained that
charge d’affaires had derived a wrong impression from his conversation with Sir L. Mallet.
Latter had stated that His Majestv’s Government could not consent to pay compensation
until after an arbitration adverse to their views of the rights of the case.
[767—1379]

About this item

Content

The volume contains telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, notes, printed reports and a press cutting relating to the arms traffic in Muscat and arrangements for its regulation.

Issues discussed include:

  • negotiations between the United Kingdom and France over possible trade-offs in India and Africa for France agreeing to cede its rights in connection with trade and Muscat;
  • the approval of rules concerning the warehouse for ammunition;
  • The proposed retention of ammunition lying uncleared in the Muscat Customs House on 1 September when the new rules came into force;
  • The 1905 Declaration between the United Kingdom and France respecting Egypt and Morocco (ff 110-119);
  • Anglo-French diplomacy on the matter involving the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
  • correspondence between the French Consul, Muscat and the Sultan of Muscat.

The file includes a press cuttings: from The Times (f 164) 'The Arms Traffic and Muscat: Protest, by French Firms', 13 September 1912.

The principal correspondents in the volume include: 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. , Percy Zachariah Cox; the Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; 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 Muscat; the Viceroy; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Sir Edward Grey; the Under Secretary of State, Foreign Office; the Ambassador to France, Sir Francis Bertie; the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.

The volume is part 2 of 7. The part includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence (f 2).

Extent and format
1 volume (215 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume. The subject 868 (Arms Traffic - Muscat) consists of 6 volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/235-240. The volumes are divided into 7 parts with parts 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 comprising one volume each and parts 4 and 5 comprising a volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the first flyleaf with 1 and terminates at the last flyleaf with 215; 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. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers.

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

File 868/1912 Pt 2 'Arms traffic: arrangements at Muscat for its regulation' [‎70r] (144/440), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/236, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100045883229.0x000091> [accessed 28 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_100045883229.0x000091">File 868/1912 Pt 2 'Arms traffic: arrangements at Muscat for its regulation' [&lrm;70r] (144/440)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100045883229.0x000091">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x000081/IOR_L_PS_10_236_0144.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_100000000419.0x000081/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image