Coll 20/15 'Muscat: Infringement of Muscat territorial waters by Persian vessels' [‎49v] (99/203)

the Sheikhdoms, but despite the disadvantages involved
there seems, in view of the position adopted internationally
by H. T \Gr. and of the special difficulties in the
Shatt-el-Arab to which the Admiralty refer in their
letter on P.Z* 5161/33, nothing for it but to acquiesce
in this, authorising the Resident to make the position
clear to the Local Rulers when a convenient opportunity
arises, and to advise them to keep a sharp lookout
for any extension by Persian warships of such rights
of innocent passage.
5. As regards the Muscat Proclamations of 1898 and
1903, copies of which are now art-teehed, there is,
I suggest, no need to take any action on the Proclsmatibn
of 1903 which affects H.M.Q. and Italy only.
As regards the Proclamation of 1898, subject to
any views which the Resident might express, there seems
no reason to anticipate any difficulty in securing its
cancellation or modification by the Sultan of Muscat.
On the other hand there is a good deal to be said for
waiting until we have more positive evidence (such as
may be afforded by the Persian reply to Mr. Mallet T s
protest in the present case) that the Persians have not
forgotten its existence. Apart from this, if and when
the Proclamation is cancelled or modified in so far as
it affects Persia, one cannot help feeling that both on
general grounds and in the interests of depriving Persi
of the excuse that action in some specific case had beeji
taken by her Navy under the impression that the
Proclamation still held good, the cancellation or
be
modification ought to/ either by a notification
officially published in Muscat, or consequent
on a communication made by us on behalf of the Muscat
State to the Persian Government.
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