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TREATY RELATIONS OF MUSCAT 49
On 10 January 1923 a more serious agreement, regarding the exploi­
tation of oil, was concluded. In this agreement, the Sultan promised
that lie would
not exploit any petroleum which may be found anywhere within (his)
territories without consulting the Political Agent at Muscat and without
the approval of the I-Iigh Government of India.
Declaration of 10 March 1862 between Britain and France
regarding the independence of Muscat and Zanzibar1
As an introduction to this Declaration, it should be remarked that
until the death of the Sultan of Muscat, Sayyid Sa'id, in 1856, both
Muscat and Zanzibar formed part of the dominions of the Sultan of
Muscat, who established his permanent residence at Zanzibar in
1840. After the death of Sayyid Safid one of his sons,Thuwayni, suc­
ceeded as ruler of Muscat and the other, Majid, as ruler of Zanzibar.
Lgter, Majid, the ruler of Zanzibar, asserted his independence, and
consequently a dispute arose between the two brothers as to whether
Zanzibar had a right to proclaim her independence. Subsequently, the
dispute between the two brothers was settled by arbitration which
took place in April 1861. In his Award the Arbitrator, Lord Canning,
who was appointed by the Governor-General of India, approved the
right of Zanzibar to independence provided that Zanzibar paid an
annual tribute to Muscat. However, he stated that the payment was
not to be understood as a recognition of the dependence of Zanzibar upon
Muscat.2
The Declaration by Britain and France in 1862 was, therefore, a
recognition of the arbitral award and a joint obligation on the part of
the two Powers to respect the independence of both Muscat and
Zanzibar. The Declaration of 1862 was to the following effect:
Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom . . . and His Majesty the
Emperor of the French, taking into consideration the importance of
maintaining the independence of His Highness the Sultan of Muscat and of
His Highness the Sultan of Zanzibar, have thought it right to engage recip­
rocally to respect the independence of these Sovereigns.3

Anglo-French controversy over Muscat
The French Government was one of the European Powers which
concluded, during the middle of the nineteenth century, treaties of
friendship with the Sultan of Muscat. The French treaty with Muscat,

\ Great Britain, Parliamentary Papers, vol. 109 (1899), p. 124.
-See Lorimcr, p. 471. Text of Award in Aitchison, p. 303. In 1890, Zanzibar
was placed under British protection. For the protectorate treaty of 1890, see
Hcrtslct, Commercial Treaties, vol. 18 (1890), p. 1201.
3 See Parliamentary Papers, vol. 109, op. cit.