‘File 2/32 ACQUISITION OF PERMANENT AIR FACILITIES’ [‎20r] (39/338)

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Not-te. .foy Lo, ■A-lvQS* fc *»" • ’•••i •- r -r'n wCQ ♦
I oan see no possibility of actually distinguishing between
what the Air Ministry want now from what France was prevented
from getting in 1899 f and I presume it will be for the Cabinet
to decide how far it is necessary or desirable to give effect t>
or resile from the unfortunate position t aken up by the then
Foreign Secretary.
Apart from the above I should myself have said that assuming
that no political pressure was brought to bear, aid that the
transaction was manifestly beneficial to the Sultan from ©
financial point of view, the purchase from him of an island which
formed part of his territory could not fairly be held to be an
act inconsistent with our engagement to respect his independence.
The whole point I apprehend is really tie implication of political
pressure that tends inevitably to arise in my case where a
powerful state enters into an a greement of t his nature with one
which could in actual fact easily be coerced into consenting.
Otherwise, it is difficult to see what reason there is for the
suggestion that the independence of the Ruler of the selling
State is not being respected - any more than for example in the
case where the U.S.A. purchased Louisiana from Napoleon in 1803
for £3,000,000.
As to the actual approach to be made to the Sultan, I am by
no means certain that the best course would not be fcr 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. to put to the Sultan in the fJLrst inplamca a
proposal for a lease only, with a hint, if the Sultan showed
hesitation, that K.M.G. might, if necessary, be prepared to go so
far as to purchase outright. It may be that the latter
proposition would appeal to the Sultan if the figure was a
tempting one • which we could very well afford in t he present
circumstances «* and if so, the eagerness of the Sultan might
well effect any suggestion that political pressure was brought to
bear.
Hota on Maslrah Island.
Masirah Island, which fams part of the Sultanate of Omi^
is situated off the South Eastern coast of Arabia. It is 40
miles in length and between 4 and 10 miles in breadth, and lies
about 10 miles from the mainland. Good water is obtainable on
the Island but it is almost destitute of vegetation. *he climate
is stated to be not unhealthy. ^he permanent population is said
by Lorimer to be about 600 in normal times.
The Sultan has not displayed any very active interest in
the Island. There are, however, two Sheikhs who have interests
there, Sheikh Khamis bln Hilal who Ascribes himself as the
w Sheikh of Masirah”, and Sheikh Sa f eed bln Sultan al Maja f ala.
The latter Sheikh is from the mainland and his relations with
Sheikh Khamis are somewhat involved, the latter being apparently
dependent on his goodwill for visits to the mainland for supplies
of any kind.
A considerable amount of trouble was eicountered with the
local inhabitants of Masirah Island in 1942, in connection with
the unloading of stores for H.M. Forces stationed there. Sheikh
Sa'eed bin Sultan a >pears to have been primarily res ponsible fo r
most of the trouble caused and as a result ttucxK coanauaanix,
wanr* gg) h&s been warned off the island by the Sul ten • As a
result of these occurences, most of the local inhabitants fled from
the Island and only a few nave since returned. There are, however,
now several hundred Muscat! and Aden labourers who liave been
brought to toe Island for the work required by H.M. Forces aid the
Americans there.