Page 12 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf) 1907-1953

8
Government of
Tho predecessors of the present Sultan occupied
. India Secret
territory for ft good many years on the 1 ersiau despatch of
■coast from Bunder Abbas to Lingali with tho
Island of Kislim, under a Birman of tho Shah of Mr. Murray,
Persia, to whom tboy paid rates or tribute, No. 12,January 16,
In 1855 a lease for twenty years was granted Mr.AHaon No.49,
at on annual rent. In 1808 a new arrangement April J ; No. 108,
, , . . . . . July 29 j No. 105,
was made for seven yoars, also at a rout, but, on August 4,1868.
the occasion of civil war in Muscat in 1809, the Mr. Thomson,
Shah cancollcd tho lease, undor powers given by September 8;
tho Convention, and resumed occupation of tho No.70,Octoborl9j
territory in question. November 26,
Gwndur is an enclave on tho confines of 18C9,
Persia and Boluchistan, which has for over 100
years formed part of the dominions of tho Sultan
of Muscat, to whom it was granted by the Khan
of Khelat. It extends for a radius of one stage
(about 10 or 16 miles from the town of Gwndur).
In this territory is a station of tho Indo-European
telegraph, but it has never been occupied by
Great Britain.
- The British connection with Muscat is of long Government of
standing. Treaties of Friendship and Commerce, India Secret
despatch, vide
as well as for the suppression of slavery, have supra.
been concluded with successive Imams of Muscat
on different occasions since 1798. In that year
the first engagement was entered into between
the East India Company and Saiyid Sultan for
the exclusion from his territories of French
influence, which contemplated fiuding in Muscat
a convenient basis of attack upon India in
the war then being waged between Great Britain
and France. At a later date, on the death
of Saiyid Said in 1856, a dispute arose
between liis two sons as to the possession
of Muscat and Zanzibar, wliich had hitherto
been united under tho same Ruler. This was
referred to the arbitration of the Viceroy of
India, then Lord Canning, who, after careful
inquiry, decided that the two Slates should
remain separate, being divided between the two
brothers, but that Zanzibar, in virtue of its
superior wealth, should pay to Muscat a yearly
subsidy of 40,000 crowns (5,700/.). At a subse­
quent period, in 1873, the British Government, in
return for Agreements concerning the suppres­
sion of the Slave Trade, successfully concluded
with the Rulers both of Muscat and Zanzibar,
undertook to relieve the latter of this payment,
which has since that date been made by the