Coll 20/17 'Muscat: Coal Depot: Question of transfer to RAF authorities' [‎36r] (72/115)

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4. The Senior Naval Officer in his letter of 6th December
concurs with (Jolonel Loch, who has addressed him in his
capacity as Acting Political Kesident, that some permanent
P%d-a-terre should be maintained for H*M*Services in Muscat,
buo does not feel justified in recormiending any expenditure from
Naval funds towards the up-keep of the buildings, or share in
the maintenance of a watchman, and is of opinion that the use
of the buildings will be confined solely to the Koyal Air J^’orce*
5* The Air Officer Commanding, f Iraq Command, would like the
Coal Depot to be kept up and is prepared to recommend that Rs*200^
per annum should be paid from Koyal Air Force funds, but would
like the buildings to remain the responsibility of the Navy*
6* Brefly^ the situation is as follows
I do not consider that the retention of the Coal Depot
is justifiable on political grounds and therefore I am not
of opinion that Item (ii) should be paid by the Political
Department - vide paragraph 14 of 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. , Muscats
letter - when the Depot is abolished. The Naval authorities are
apparently not prepared to incur any expenditure from their
funds towards its retention, and it appears that the only
authority really interested in the maintenance of the Depot is
the Royal Air Force, who are willing to spend Rs*200/~per annum*
This is i sufficient for a watchman but not of course for the
annual repairs to the buildings which come to about Rs*l,400/-*
7# I suggest therefore that,from the point of view of the
Government of India's responsibility, the Coal Depot be
abolished.
$d/- T.C.Powle,
Lieut.-colonel.
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 liulf.
Attested*
Sd/-A*C. Stewart,
for Secretary 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. .