Coll 20/3(2) 'Muscat: Relations with H. M. G.; Commercial Treaty: Revision of' [‎522r] (1048/1324)

■ mrh l ; mrrurrpr pm - pm pppppppi
622
Comments.
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. draft
Suloject to an addition to
(Sultan’s Article 12 )
(l) The trials and also the
paragraph this is the Sultan’s
punishment of all offences and
he accepted. It withdraws from
oe accused within the dominions of
British subjects the exemption
tne Sultan, also the hearing and
from taxation which was accorded
set olement ox all civil questions.
them by the 1891 Treaty and so
claims or disputes in which they are
represents another step of the
defendants is expressly reserved to
Sultan’s to achieve ’fiscal
the British Consular Authorities and
autonomy’. In practice British
courts. The authorities of the Sultan
subjects in Muscat have been
have no right to interfere in
paying local taxes for very many
disputes wioh subjects of His Majesty
years. The Sultan’s draft would
the King and Emperor amongst them-
therefore remove the formal
selves: such questions whether of a
ground on which British subjects
civil or criminal nature shall! be
could rest a protest if the taxes
decided by the British Author!ties^^^.
were considerably enhanced; but
(2) Should disputes arise between
there still remains the protection
subjects of the Sultan or members of
afforded by the fact that even
other nations and a subject of His
under the Sultan’s draft the taxes
Majesty the King and Emperor in which
can only be enforced against
the British subject is the plaintiff
British subjects through the
or complainant, the matter shall be
Consular Court.
brought before and decided by the
There seems no reason to
Sultan’s Court or some person specially
think that the Sultan’s draft 3
delegated by him for the purpose. The
1 i
j read with Article 3 above,
jjroceedings and final decision in such
confers on British subjects less
a case shall not, however, be
favourable treatment than that
considered legal unless notice has
enjoyed by any other nation.
been given and an opportunity afforded
for the British Consul or his
substitute/