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to note that he refused an invitation to lunch at His Majesty’s Embassy on the
ground that his visit to the country was official. Apart from these two matters the
Sultan had few if any dealings with the United States before the Second World
War. During the war he agreed to the use of the Salalah and Masirah airfields by
the United Slates forces.
81. In 1946 he received a visit from the United States Consul at Dhahran
who informed him orally that Muscat was in his consular area. This was a
surprise to the Sultan who was under the impression that United States interests in
Muscat were in charge of their Consul at Bombay. Since then United States
Consular Officers and warships have paid comparatively frequent visits to Muscat.
In 1946 the Sultan granted permission for United States civil aircraft to overfly
Muscat territory after protesting because the first approach on the subject was
made through the Political Agent. In 1952 he applied to the United States Consul-
General at Dhahran for Point-IV Aid (paragraph 29 above) and asked him to find
an American company to take over the Dhofar oil concession, and he subsequently
granted an exploratory concession to an American company (paragraph 64 above).
82. Although the Sultan appears anxious to obtain any material aid he can
from the Americans he has shown no sign yet of turning to them rather than to Her
Majesty’s Government for advice and assistance in political matters.
(g) France
83. The French continued to keep their Consulate building in Muscat in
repair until 1945 when they returned it to the Sultan.C2*) They have made no
attempt to intervene in Muscat affairs during the period under report though
occasional visits have been made there by their Consular officers and warships. In
1933 they agreed to an increase of the Muscat tariffs in spite of the provisions of the
Treaty of 1844 (paragraph 15 above).
84. In 1946 the Muscat Government were informed officially that Muscat was
under the Consular jurisdiction of the French Consul-General in Bombay, but the
present position is uncertain. In 1951 the Foreign Office refused to take the
initiative in clarifying it and held that it must be left to the French to make the
first move.r'0) In 1952 in talks at the Quai d’Orsay it appeared that the French
were thinking of making their representative to the Yemen responsible for Muscat
but nothing further has been heard on the subject.(m) In the same year the
French Consul at Aden asked a Dr. Barthoux who was on a visit to Muscat to make
enquiries about the French Consulate building and the land adjoining it which the
French had purchased in 1907.(133) He gave him a letter on the subject addressed
to Her Majesty’s Consul, and this combined with the fact that the British Passport
Officer at Aden had granted him a visa without consulting the Muscat Government
so infuriated the Sultan that he refused to see Dr. Barthoux or to reply to his
enquiries beyond sending an oral message that the French Government must
write to him officially about the Consulate building.

X.—-Miscellaneous
(a) Jurisdiction
85. Extensive jurisdiction over British subjects and protected persons in
Muscat was conferred on the Political Agent by the Commercial Treaties of 1891
and 1939. The Muscat Order in Council of 1915 which provided for the exercise
of this jurisdiction under the Treaty of 1891 was replaced by another Order in
1939 to cover modifications introduced by the Treaty of that year and other
alterations made desirable by the passage of time. After the assumption of
responsibility for dealings with Muscat by His Majesty’s Government in 1947
further revision was found necessary and it was also considered desirable to
reorganise the various Courts. A new Order in Council was accordingly issued in
1949. Under it the Political Agent (now Her Majesty’s Consul) and any other
officers appointed for the purpose by the Secretary of State are constituted Judges
(,3*) Muscat to P.R. S. 244-6/4 of February 19. 1945 (T 4557/1035/385).
(no) F.O. to P.R. EA 1907/3 of October 18. 1951.
(,3‘) FilcEA 1024/1 of 1952.
(*”) P.R. to F.O. 1621/39/52 of March 8. 1952 (EA 1904/1 of 1952).