Page 484 - PERSIAN 4 1899_1905

12 ADMINISTRATION RETORT ON THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL

Political Agont. After steaming round tho entire squadron and acknowledging
tbo compliments of tho crews of Els Majesty’s ships, His Highness drew up
alongside the Eardinge, whore ho was received by tho Foreign and Military
Secretaries and members of the Viceroy’s Btaff, and was by them conducted
into His Excellency’s presence on tho quarter-deck of tho Hardinge, which
had been fitted up as a state reception room.
Greetings were oxchnnged and a short conversation took place after which
the members of tho Sultan’s suite wero severally presented to His Excellency.
Refreshments were then served and a few minutes later the Sultan took
his departure under a salute of 21 guns.
Between 12 and 1 o’clock tbo Consuls of France and Amorica at Maskat
proceeded on board to pay their respects and were accorded interviews by His
Excellency, and the salutes of their rank on departure.
About 2 o’clock tho Viceroy, accompanied by His Excellency Rear Admi­
ral Atkinson-Willes and Stall, landed at the jetty which had been temporarily
erected for the purpose at the customs wharf and were received there by the
Resident in the Persian Gulf and tho Political Agent.
As His Excellency disembarked tbe ships of tho squadron were dressed
and manned and the Viceregal salute of 31 guns fired. From tho jetty the
Viceregal party walked through the narrow but gaily decorated street to the
British Consulate, where the Political Agent was honoured by their company
at lunch.
At 3-15 p. 3i. a representative deputation from the various denominations
of British subjects and protected persons dwelling in the Sultan’s territories
waited upon His Excellency with an address which was read in English by Mr.
Purshotam Dhanjee, representative of a local Hindoo trading firm. It was
then presented in a silver casket of local design and manufacture representing
a-led camel standing beneath the shade of a palmtree, the trunk of which
formed the receptacle for the vellum. Having accorded a pregnant and sym­
pathetic reply to this representation, Lord Curzon returned by sea to the jetty
at the head of which ho was received on arrival by the Sultan. A Guard-of-
lionour of British Marines with a band were in attendance at the customs
wharf and from that point the street through which tho party would pass was
lined on both sides by the Sultan’s Arab Askaris His Highness thence con­
ducted the Viceroy and bis suite to the Audience Chamber in the Palace and on
arrival there led his guest to a scat on his right on a raised dais at the head
of the room. Seats were provided for His Excellency’s suite and the Sultan’s
Chief Officers of State along the two sides of the room while in the further-end
and body of the ball were accommodated 70 or SO Sheikhs and representative
men from various parts of the interior who bad been invited in for the occasion.
A striking feature in the room were a number of loyal inscriptions in
English capitals on coloured ground which freely adorned the walls.
As soon as formal greetings bad been exchanged tbe Chief Darbaris were
brought up and presented by the Political Agent after which an Arabic ad­
dress of welcome was read on tbe Sultan’s behalf by Sheikh Rashid-bin-Ozaiz
and was cordially acknowledged by tbe Viceroy, Refreshments were then
passed round and a few minutes later tbe Darbar broke up. His Excellency
being escorted back to the Pier-bead by tbe Sultan and from thence returning
on board the Eardinge.
In tbe meanwhile Sir Arthur Hardinge, C.B., K.C.M.G., His Majesty’s
Minister at Tehran, had arrived in Maskat in H.M.S. Sphinx in order to
confer with the Viceroy, before bis entry into Persian waters. The Sphinx
brought the number of British vessels present up to 8.
That evening Their Excellencies gave a large dinner party on board the
Eardinge, to which Sir Arthur Hardinge, His Excellonoy the Naval
Coinraander.in-Cbief and 8taff, tbe Senior Naval Officers belonging to the
squadron and the Consular representatives of France and America, in all abou
70 persons, were invited.
During and after the dinner the Portuguese Forts and tbe foreshore of the
harbour were brilliantly illuminated with myriads of small lamps outliomg