‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎472r] (942/949)

25
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
FOREIGN DEPARTMENT, AUGUST 1905.
Flagstafis of Musandim Promontory. Pro. No. 308
I find the following article in Al Ahram, dated the 21st June 1905.
Arab codntrt.
From a correspondent at Mash at.
The English have now turned their covetous eyes to these parts ; every
day they create innovations and daily they appropriate some of their rights,
and strike a blow with every concession. To-day I am going to tell you about
a fresh act which they have committed while they are placing Maskat under
the obligation of their protecting her rights, independence and territories.
They have since some time past planted their flagstaff on the Island of
Ghanam, close to the port of Kumzar, and at the entrance of the Persian
Gulf. The Shobu tribesmen who are the owners of the Island and are
independent protested, and broke the flagstaff, and demanded a redress for
this violence of their rights from the Imam of Maskat, but we do not know
what the result will be. The English are at present all powerful and we
do not know how they claim that they are protecting the rights of this country
and adhering to the agreements while they are acting in this way.
What would the French say to this, who have submitted their dispute
with the English in regard to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. to the International Arbitration
Conference ?
If the result of the friendly understanding between the French and the
English is to leave the field open to the latter to do what they like on account
of their mutual friendship then what an evil understanding it is and what an
injury to the interests of the French and their friends ! Why does the
French Foreign Minister at Paris allow the Government of India to continue
to act in this way and daily appropriate other people’s rights and swallow
them up ? But it is very strange that the English are disputing the right of
the French to protect some of the Arabs, w T ho fly the French flag on their
vessels and are referring their dispute to the Arbitration Conference, and
before the decision is issued and a second time it is notified that Maskat and
Oman are independent, they make encroachments upon the country which
they claim to protect. They are trying to create for themselves a second
Gibraltar in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , i.e., they want to take possession of both the
coasts of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . He who observes these proceedings of the English,
while the dispute is before the Arbitration Conference, can understand that
English know that the French Foreign Minister is ignorant of their doings,
or that he knows about them, but keeps quiet. As regards the matter of
protection of the Arab vessels (by the French) they produce the Treaty of
1862 and argue that the protection is contrary to its terms, while they by
occupying the Island of Ghanam, are violating the terms of the same treaty 1
I now remember and the Paris papers are before me which confirm what
I do remember, viz.> that M. Del Casse, the French Foreign Minister, said
before a meeting of the Deputies on the 11th March 1903, that he did not
find anything in the proceedings of the English Government in the Persian
Gulf, which would require the French to be on their guard to see that the
English Government did not violate the treaty concluded between the French
and the English in 1862 about the independence of Maskat, Oman and the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
If the high officials of the Government at Simla were to see this state
ment made by the Foreign Minister of France, they would heartily laugh and
say to themselves how good was M. Del Casse in what he said, and what good
opinion he entertained of their friend the English ?
Some days ago the English Consul-General at Bushire arrived at Maskat.
He is styled 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. , and has a special Man-of-War for his use.
1711 IT, D.— S E— 288-307—Aug.
Pro.
No. 305.