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Bassidore for Angaum direct with the Imam of Maskat without referring to the
Persian Government at present.
160. In reply Sir Charles Alison was furnished with copies of Government
Letter No. 3229, dated the 27th October 1866.1 India s letter No. 642 of 7th Mayand in-
Proceedings No. 60 in Political A., janu-ry 1867, formed that that Government considered in-
Nos'59'64, convenient complications would be avoided
if he would communicate his views personally to Colonel Goldsmid and instruct
him to arrange the transfer as best he can with the local authorities, whether
Persian or Arab.
161. Colonel Goldsmid then submitted certain questions for solution con-
Letter No a-G.. dated the ist jammy >867. nected with the proposed transfer, with the
Proceeding*, Political A., April 1867. Nos. 25-26.. object of merely providing against probable
difficulties in the way of the negotalion which had been entrusted to him :
"I. Is the placing a telegraph station at Angaum a measure purely political or
sanitary, one of security, or for convenience to telegraphic working ?
" II. In the present Ruler of Maskat on the same footing with the Persian Govern­
ment as regards Bandar Abbas and dependencies as the former one? And
are our political relations with him such as to render necessary any changes
in our dealings with the Maskat State from heretofore?"
162. Copies of the entire correspondence above referred to were forwarded
to the Government of India with this Government letter No. 74 of the 19th
Proceedings No. 35. Political a., April 1867, Nos. March 1867, and with the opinion of this
aS’a6 Government that Angaum should be ac­
quired, and the power of using it, to fully the same extent as Bassadore was
being used, should be secured.
163. In their letter No. 1133 of the 16th November 1867, the Government of
India enquired of the Bombay Government
Procoedings, Political A, November 1867, No. 28.
whether, by the terms of the convention
concluded between Maskat and Persia in 1856 and by the interpretation which,
according to Colonel Pelly’s reports, had been practically given to those terms,
the former power retained any sufficient interest in the island, or in the occupation
of it as to render it expedient to make to the Sultan of Maskat the reference
suggested by the Secretary of State in his Despatch No. 17, dated the 14th
September 1867, to the Bombay Government. The Government of India also
pointed out that in their opinion the former rights of Maskat in Bandar Abbas
and the territories dependent on that port having been merged in Persia, any
application to Maskat for permission to settle in Angaum might possibly be
understood by the Sultan as a constructive recognition from the British Govern­
ment of rights claimed by him which apparently had ceased to exist. They
further asked to be informed of the result of the negotiations authorized by the
Government of India to be instituted by the Bombay Government with the Shah’s
Government through the mediation of Mr. Alison for securing Angaum.
164. In reply the Bombay Government said in their letter No. 283 of the 31st
December 1867, that the Island of Angaum
Proceedings, Political A, January 1868, No. 134.
as forming part of the territory attaching
to Bandar Abbas could not be regarded otherwise than as a Persian possession.
The lease from the Persian Government through which the administration of this
territory remained for some time in the hands of the Sultan of Maskat expired
on the death of the late Sultan Thoweyni. The Persian Government had
declined to renew the lease with the new Sultan, whose only present connec-
tion with Bandar Abbas consisted in the fact that the person in whose favour
the lease had been renewed was Sheikh Said, who was the Governor of Bandar
Abbas, under the late Sultan and who till then owned allegiance to Maskat.
The letter concluded with the remark that in the opinion of His Excellency in
Council the Sheikh, and not the Sultan, was the person to whom the application
for permission to settle in Angaum should be made.
165. A copy of this letter* was forwarded to the Political Resident in the
• No. 384.. dated the 3». December ,86,. Pfsian G.u,f f°r ^Opting the ®?“”e .P™1:
f Concluding line* of letter in Proceedings, ed OUt ill the aboVC-mcntlOneu Jclie ,
Political A., January 1868, No. 134. and the Government of India were in-
formedf of these instructions to the Resident.