'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎170r] (344/386)

difficulty which might arise in this connection, we are of opinion that the
withdrawal of Gwadur from Maskat control and its inclusion within the sphere
of our predominant influence is very desirable. Signs have not been wanting
of a tendency on the part of other Towers to take an interest in Gwadur
and its vicinity, and we have authorised Major Cox to inform the Sultan
that the British Government would certainly not permit Gwadur, surrounded
as it is by territory under their control, to be in any way associated with
another Power. Ttiis warning may he sufficient to prevent the Sultan from
entertaining any such proposal so long as our relations with him remain
as friendly as they are at present. But it is conceivable^ that the Sultan or his
successor may hereafter prove unfaithful to his obligations, and, in any case,
should France demand to post a representative at Gwadur, the claim might,
under present conditions, be difficult to resist, and an embarrassing situation
might arise.
4 For these reasons we are disposed to make an attempt, through ITis
Highness the Khan of Kalat, to obtain the cession of Gwadur on reasonable
terms The offer might, we think, he ostensibly made by the K ban on his own
behalf: hut the price, if the Sultan accepted the offer, would be paid from
Indian revenues. We have ascertained from Major Cox that the annual
revenue which the Sultan derives from Gwadur is about 22,200 dollars, while
the cost of administration is probably little, if at all, in excess of Its. 1,000 a
year. The net value of G wadur to the Sultan, at 15 years purchase, may
therefore he taken at about 4J lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or
rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. .* "Wb consider that this sum, or,
if it were arranged to take a lease of the
place instead of purchasing outright, an annual payment of Rs. 30,000 to
Rs. 40,000, would not be too high a price to pay as an insurance against any
foreign attempt to obtain a footing on the Baluch-Makran Coast, and ue
commend the suggestion to Your Lordship’s favourable consideiation.
5. We hare, of course, taken no steps at present to sound the Sultan as to
his willingness to part with this portion of his territory and it is possible t lat
the offer might meet with a refusal. It is also possible that, if the or
accepted exception might be taken to the transaction by the 1 rench Govern
ment on the ground that, although the rendition would be made iLQmina j' o
theKhanof Kalat,it would practically result in the
influence over territory which has been in the possess 0 , ’ ,
independence of the rider of which was guaranteed bytlieAugo-Fi-eneliDeclar-
ation of 1862. But we can see nothing derogatory to the Sultan 8 ' P
encein his selling back to the Khan a piece of land the transfer of whic W
Kalat to Maskat was a mere accident, and which consists only o a few miles
of coast-line entirely surrounded, on the land s ' ( f e ’ ^
Indeed the independence of the Sultan would appear to be vmdmated rather
than impaired, by Ins ability to part with such an ou g P peninsula.
no part of Maskat proper, and not even belonging rwlaration of 1862
■We apprehend therefore that an objection based on the Declaration ot 18
could scarcely he sustained.
* 22,200 dollars —Rb. 31,080 minus, say Rs- 1,030
for expense* o£ administration = Rs. 30,000 x Rs. 15
= 4 50,000
37
Secret.
No. 47.
India Ofpice,
London, 21st November 190?.
To His Excellency the Right Hon’ble the Governor-General of India in
Council-
Consequent upon the receipt of 7 °^ letter °* d ur S from
September last, suggesting measures for th , ; t i n fl ue nce
Maskat control and its inclusion withm the P ^ a oorrespond .
•To Foreign OdBce, dated 3rd October lOO 1 ?. price * (of which a COpy is enclosed) has
From ditto, dated 29 th October i9o3. ta t e ii place between this Office and the
Foreign Office.