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File XXXII/12 '1. Finances. 2. Customs Duties (Sur). 3. Financial Crisis, 1931. 4. Treaties with France and America' [73r] (150/266)
The record is made up of 1 file (129 folios). It was created in 18 Dec 1928-31 Dec 1930. It was written in English and Arabic. 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.
period of several vears from a condition of increasing financial stringent
and a critical situation has now arisen which calls for an immediate
remedy. After much careful consideration of the problem, the feultan
and his advisers have reached the conclusion that an improvement in the
financial position of the State can only be effected by an increase m the
rate of the tariff on imported goods, and that it is important, m the
interests of the prosperity and good government of the State, that the
proposed increase should take effect with the least possible delay.
2. The right of the Sultan of Muscat to raise the tariff of the State
beyond a rate of five per cent, is, however, limited by Article •> of the
Treaty between Muscat and the United States of America of 1833. and
by Article 10 of the Treatv between Muscat and France of 1844. Copies
of the texts of these articles are enclosed herein. Unless therefore the
United States and French Governments will consent to waive their rights
to a maximum tariff of five per cent, under these treaties, no general
increase in the tariff will be practicable, and it will be impossible to adopt
the suggested remedy.
3. In these circumstances the Sultan desires that the Governments
of the United States of America and France should be approached with
a view to securing from them at the earliest possible moment such a waiver
of their rights under the articles of the two treaties referred to above as
will allow of a general increase in the Muscat tariff above the present
flat rate of five per cent. Since there has been no French Consular re
presentative at Muscat for some years past, and United States interests
there are in charge of the Government of India’s
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.
, His
Highness has requested that His Majesty’s Government should take up the
matter with the two Governments concerned on his behalf.
4. I transmit to you, herewith, a memorandum setting forth in
greater detail the reasons which have impelled the Sultan to make this
request, and arguments in its support, and I shall be glad if you will
address a note to the Government to which you are accredited based on the
material contained in this memorandum, and will urge them to give the
matter their early and favourable consideration. United States trade
with Muscat appears now to be of very slight importance, and you may
find it desirable to make use of this point. But His Majesty’s Govern
ment would be very reluctant to make any statement the effect of which
might be to encourage United States interest in this State, and you may
therefore, on consideration, think it preferable not to draw attention to
the unimportant character of their interests at the present time, unless
the course of discussion should render this inevitable. Should the United
States Government be prepared in principle to consent to this modifica
tion of their treaty rights, the question of the best method of giving legal
effect to the modification of the relevant treaty position can be subsequent
ly considered.
5. Instructions in a similar sense are being sent to His Majesty’s
Ambassador in Paris.
CONFIDENTIAL.
( 18 )
Endorsed by Foreign and Political Department, No. F.-225-N. 29, dated
16th April 1930.
A copy of the undermentioned papers is forwarded to the Hon’ble
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.
with reference to correspond
ence ending with his letter No. 115-S., dated the 19th March 1930 [Serial
No. (15)].
Letter from the Foreign Office, to the British Ambassador,
France, No. 570, dated the 18th March 1930 [Serial No. (16)].
About this item
- Content
This file contains correspondence between British officials (primarily at the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in Muscat, the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in Bushire and the 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. in London) concerning economic problems in the Sultanate of Muscat and the consequent need to raise its customs tariffs in order to increase state revenue. Much of the correspondence relates to potential issues that this proposed increase could cause with the United States of America and France due to treaties those two countries previously agreed with the Sultan of Muscat.
In addition to internal correspondence between British officials, the file also contains a limited amount of correspondence with US and French diplomats and one letter in Arabic (with English translation) from the Sultan of Muscat, Taymūr bin Fayṣal bin Turkī Āl Bū Sa‘īd(folios 52-53).
In addition to correspondence, the file contains the following documents:
- 'Note on the Financial Aspect of Our Policy [in Muscat]' 1928 (folios 5-6)
- 'List of the monthly allowances paid by the Muscat Govt. to the Frontier Shaikhs. 1927' (folio 48)
- Draft revised treaty between the United States of America and the Sultan of Muscat (folios 120-121).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (129 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 131; 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. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 5-128; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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File XXXII/12 '1. Finances. 2. Customs Duties (Sur). 3. Financial Crisis, 1931. 4. Treaties with France and America' [73r] (150/266), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/6/49, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100063310110.0x000097> [accessed 19 April 2024]
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- Reference
- IOR/R/15/6/49
- Title
- File XXXII/12 '1. Finances. 2. Customs Duties (Sur). 3. Financial Crisis, 1931. 4. Treaties with France and America'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:51v, 54r:102v, 104r:114v, 116r:118v, 120r:126v, 128r:130v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence