‏"ملخص الأحداث والتدابير الرئيسية التي اتخذها سمو نائب الملك اللورد كرزون من كيدلستون، نائب الملك والحاكم العام للهند في إدارة الخارجية. ‏I‏. يناير ١٨٩٩-أبريل ١٩٠٤. ‏II‏. ديسمبر ١٩٠٤-نوفمبر ١٩٠٥. المجلد IV. بلاد فارس والخليج الفارسي." [ظ‎‎١‎٦‎٦] (٣٨٤/٣٣٧)

74
was despatched to Maskat with the ostensible object of conducting this exami-
nation and of investigating the question whether any dhows with French papers
were implicated in the slave trade.
The ao'ual proceedings of the Commander of the French vessel were
Telegram to Secret, of St.tc. dated the 2Gta reported by Captain Cox to be of a very
August 1900 . different nature. He made no enquiries
into the question whether the French flag-holders were implicated in the slave
trade but directed his endeavours mainly towards intimidating the Multan into
returning to the dhow owners the French papers which they had handed over
to him: ami to persuading His Highness to receive as an intermediary
between His Highness and the French Consul one Abdul Aziz whom tne
Sultan had dismissed from his service. The attitude maintained by the
Sultan in this situation was most satisfactory. He persisted in his refusal to
receive Abdul Aziz, and declined tc return the papers to their ovyners. l ie
French vessel then visited Sur, and apparently persuadel some of the Sheikhs
to recant from their undertaking given to the Sultan, and to plead that they
had <uvcn it under pressure. Two of the owners of the papers, howevei, who
had handed them over to the Sultan, came into Maskat and, after receiving
their papers back from the Sultan, handed them over to M. Ottavi. On her
way to Sur, the “ Drome ” met and stopped several Suri dhows proceeding to
Basrah, and compelled them to come to Maskat flying the tri-colour.
It is important to notice that, in the course of this incident, no exception
was taken either by M. Ot.tavi or by the French Commander to the terms of
the Sultan’s edict, and that M. Ottavi stated, with a somewhat remarkable
divergence from the truth, that he had never claimed to give the flag-holders
protection.
It was not until the “ Drome ” had left Maskat that the Government of
* Secretary of state’, teieg,am. dated the iOth India were authorised* to convey to
September lyto. Captain Cox the approval ol Her
Majesty’s Government of his action in supporting the firm znd becoming
attitude of the Sultan and in protesting against the French demands.
A second French vessel (the “ Catinat ”) called at Maskat in December
1000, and took the opportunity to visit Sur. The French Commander is said
to have made much of the French flag-holders, and to have assured them
that he had settled the matter of the flags with the Sultan in a satisfactory
way, and that His Highness had agreed to let them all remain French subjects.
In April 1901, Captain Cox suggested that the Sultan might be advised to
issue a further notification, in continuation of his edict above referred to, to
the effect that, from a date to be fixed, none of his subjects would be permitted
to fly within his territories or in his territorial waters any foreign flag except
with the written authority of the Sultan ; and that any one acting in contra
vention of this order would be liable to fine or other punish uent.
This suggestion was forwarded! to His Majesty’s Government with the
+ Secret despatch to Secretary of state. No. 69 remark that, in the opinion of the Goyern-
(Kxternal), dated the 9th May 1901. meilt of India, tllC Sultan WOuld 1)6 within
his rights in issuing the notification. But they required the authority of His
Majesty’s Government before advising the Sultan to issue it. That authority
has not vet been accorded.
w
The subject of the increase of French influence in Oman was again brought
into prominence in the summer of the present year, when Captain Cox, with
a geological expert deputed by the Government of India, visited the neighbour
hood of Sur in order to examine a coal reef said to be situated in the vicinity.
The exploration was conducted with the full knowledge and consent of the
Sultan ; it met with considerable opposition from the local tribes, which Captain
Cox attributes, apparently with justice, to the adverse influence of the French
Consul and Abdul Aziz, who arrived at Sur in a French vessel (the “ internet ”)
a few days before the British parly, and stirred up the tribes against them.
On the 7th June 1901, a telegram was received from the Secretary of State,
intimating that the Foreign Office considered it impossible to maintain that
French protection and the use of the French flag are limited to the high seas