Page 17 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf) 1907-1953

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thus received French papers belonged to the
district of Jalani and the town of Sur, within
Muscat territories. These men were neither of
French nationality nor naturalization; they had
no authority from the Sultan to change their
allegiance, and they had no permanent residence
or settlement in French territory, but merely
paid fleeting visits thereto for the purpose of
renewing their licences.
Many of these flngholders engaged in the Slave
Trade. Moreover, on returning to tho waters and
territory of Muscat, they claimed that the Sultan
was not entitled to board or scaich their vessels,
or to exorcise any jurisdiction over them, and
that they were entitled to be treated as French
proteges, and to bo exempt from liis laws as
regards customs, quarantine, and other matters.
The Sultan of Muscat never admitted that the
grant of French flags or papers was warranted by
Treaty or usage, and made repeated protests on
the subject, lie appealed to llis Majesty’s
Government, who on several occasions made
representations to the French Government.
Finally, it was decided that the whole questiou
of the grant of French flags to subjqcls of the
Sultan should be submitted to the arbitration of
the International Court at The Hague.
The following two points were submitted to tho
decision of the Tribunal, which met at The Hague
on tho 21-th July, 1005 : —
(«.) The scope of the reciprocal "Declaration
made by Great Britain and France in 1662 in
relation to the issue by Franco to subjects of tho
Sultan of papers authorizing them to fly tho
French flag; and
(b.) The nature of the privileges and immunities
claimed by subjects of the Sultan who were
owners or masters of dhows and possessed French
papers, or were members of the crew of such
dhows, and their families, especially as to the
manner in which such privileges and immunities
affected the jurisdiction of His Highness over his
said subjects.

The results of the Award may be summarized
as follows:—
Franco may renew the licences to fly tho French
flug grunted to owners of dhows beforo the
2nd January, 1892. But no licences given since
that date arc valid unless the grantee was a bond
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