Page 373 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

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190. In his report No. 334, dated aSth August 1901, Captain Cox furnished
the most reliable information he could get
Secret E., November 1901, N01. 74*83.
No. 79 (Encloiuro No. l). at Maskat and concluded:—
Briefly stated, it appears from the foregoing that the Sultan's jurisdiction extends
effectively only as far ns Murcir; that from Mur«*ir to Dibba (including, however, only half
of that port) there is reason to suppose that the Sheikh of Shargah may make good a pre-
scriptivc claim to exercise jurisdiction ; that over the country from Dibba on to Ras
Musandim and thence round to Khasab and Bokha, the Sultan, if asked, would probably
claim rights of sovereignty and jurisdiction; and that from Bokha to Shuam the coast is
mainly occupied by sections of the Shihooh who for practical purposes at present recognise
the authority of the Sheikh of Ras-ul-Khcimah.
In conclusion, if I may presume to do so, I would respectfully express the opinion that,
as regards the Malcolm and Elphinstonc Inlets on either side of Maklab and the promon-
tory of Ras Musandim, the exercise of the Sultan of Maskat’s authority over there is of
such a conveniently uncertain character that it would seem possible for His Majesty's Gov­
ernment to treat the question of its existence according to the political exigencies of the
moment. If we require a base there, it might be possible to explain to the Sultan that his
claim to assert his authority there or power to make it effective is of such an unsubstantial
nature that His Majesty's Governmental unable to recognize it, but regard the Shihooh
(including the Kumazcrch) as independent tribes.
191. Colonel Kemball, in submitting Captain Cox’s report, referred to the
correspondence of 1864* and stated that
• See Trucial Chiefs Precis, 1854.1905. since then His Highness the Sultan had es­
tablished a Wali at Khasab situated on the
Elphinstone Inlet, and further north the Sultan’s authority with rpgard to
Kumzar near Ras Mussandim was now apparently not contested by the
Joasmi Chief, as pointed out by Captain Cox. It seemed to him, therefore, that
from our point of view, as we are hardly likely to require Khor-ash-Shem as a
naval base, it would be more convenient to recognise the tract as within the
territories of the Sultan of Maskat. It would be perhaps advisable that the
Sultan should be induced in the manner indicated by Captain Cox to make his
influence more apparent in the locality in question.
192. ’Ihe Government of India asked for a further report from Captain Cox,
after visiting the coast at an early date and ascertaining the actual political
situation at the various places (No. 1863-E.A., dated 31st October 1901).
193. Captain Cox’s further report No. 290, dated 2nd July 1902, and Colonel
Kemball’s views thereon (letter No. 15-
Secret E., November 1902, Nos. 7*21.
S.A., dated 20th July 1902) are summed
up and discussed in the despatch of the Government of India, No. 192, dated
23rd October 1902, and Lord Curzon’s Minute accompanying it, which are
printed below :—
“With reference to the correspondence ending with Your Lordship's Secret despatch.
No. 33, dated the 30th May igo2, on the subject of the selection of a naval base in the
Persian Gulf, we have the honour to forward, for Your Lordship’s consideration, copies
of the papers noted in the enclosed list.
Your Lordship will recollect that in November last we invited attention to a sugges­
tion made by our local officers than the jurisdic-
da.tcd*t1iAqUiK%wV No’ ,8° fKalerna^' tion of the Sultan of Maskat should be extended
<U"d ,h“ 7,h No,emb" ,s°'- and consolidated along the Batineh coast: and
we intimated that, before expressing an opinion on this suggestion, we proposed to await
a further report from our Political Agent at Maskat. The conclusions at which Major
Cox has arrived, after a tour along the coast, are summarised in the 13th paragraph of his
report No. 290, dated the 2nd July 1902, which forms the second enclosure to this despatch.
2. It will be observed that, as regards the Maklab isthmus and the promontory of
Musandim, Major Cox is of opinion that the Sultan’s jurisdiction is of so uncertain and
ineffective a- character that it would be open to His Majesty’s Government either to
recognise or to ignore its existence, as might be found most convenient: and he suggests
that, in view of the possibility of the Elphinstone Inlet being required for naval or strate­
gical purposes, the old telegraph quarters on the Inlet should now be re-occupied by the
posting there «-f a Native Agent in charge of a British flag, as at Bassidore. Major Cox
proposes that to carry out this measure, our Political Resident in the Persian Gulf should
visit the locality in the telegraph ship Patrick Stewart, without previous reference to the
Sultan of Maskat, who could be informed, if necessary, that the step is necessitated

k.