Coll 20/22 'Muscat: Appointment of a Political Officer as Adviser to Sultan' [‎37r] (72/77)

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Extract from Note of an interview^fe^tifeeto'
Excellency the Viceroy, and His Highnes the Sultan
of Muscat, at which Sir Aubrey Metcalfe, Secretary,
External Affairs Department, was also present.
v y
4. His Highness then stated that he found himself in
considerable difficulty owing to want of expert advice in
the management of his foreign relations and suggested that
it would be advantageous to him and to us, if he could get
the services of a qualified British Officer to assist him.
He mentioned the name of Colonel Bremner, who was for two
years as 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 before Major Watts.
This again is entirely a new suggestion and one which will
require to be treated with some caution. When Major
Bremner was at Muscat, he succeeded in winning the Sultan’s
confidence to a considerable extent, but during the last
few months of his tenure of the office, partly owing to
ill-health and partly to his own peculiar temperament, his
relations with Colonel Powle became extremely bad and he
wrote a number of very insubordinate letters to v/hich
Colonel Eowle took very just exception. He also
protested in immoderate language against Major Watts’
appointment, and it would, I feel sure, be quite impossible
for him to go back as the Sultan’s Adviser, while Colonel
^owle is 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. or while Major Watts is
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. . I am doubtful whether the position
would be any happier if and when Colonel Daly succeeds
Major Watts, since 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. would obviqusly
find it extremely difficult to fulfil his responsibilities
towards the Sultan and to Government, unless the British
Officer advising the Sultan was on cordial terms with him
and took all possible steps to safeguard the Political
Agent's position. A further difficulty about Colonel
Bermner is his seniority. He is at present acting as
Second Class Resident on Rs.3,000/- a month and when he
reverts/