Page 16 - The Persian Gulf Historical Summaries (1907-1953) Vol IV_Neat

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roquircd to dismiss a particular advisor must depend on
the speoial circumstances of the coho, it is hardly com­
patible with the independence of Muscat that the Sultan
should bo compelled to accept Ministers and advisers
who aro acceptable to the Brit'sh Government.
"(Signed) RICHARD E. WEBSTER.
ROBERT B. FINLAY.
“ La\o Ojjiceri Dejmrlment,
March 8, 181)9.”
With regard t.o the French coaling station at
Bunder Gissch, Her Majesty’s Government ex­
pressed both to Ilis Highness the Sultan and to
France the view that the sale or lease of any
part of His Highness’ dominions to a foreign
Power was not only a breach of the Sultan’s
Agreement with Great Britain of 1891, but was
also inconsistent with the Declaration concluded
between the British and French Governments in
1SC2. The Government of the French Republic i"»U Uriti.-h
accepted the British reading of the latter in-
strument, viz., that neither State might accept Arbitration,
any cession or lease of Muscat territory; and
it was agreed that France should be free
to establish a coal depAt on tho same terms
as those granted to Great Britain, viz., on
sutTerancc, and such a depot lias been established
iu Muscat Harbour on a portion of the ground
originally allotted to Great Britain for the
purpose. The result, therefore, of British action
was to prevent a lease or cession of territory to
France in contravention of the Declaration of
I86‘i, which would otherwise have Liken pheo.
Tn other words, the British protest, so fur from
being a breach of that Declaration as argued
by the French Government, prevented its breach
by France.

Grant of French flays to Muscat Dhows.
France lias always refused to permit the exer­
cise by the war-ships of any other Power of the
droit de visile on tho. high seas ns regards ships
carrying the French flag, and, by only partially
ratifying the Brussels General Act in 3S92, she
preserved this claim to resist the right of search.
The French officials in Obokh, Madagascar,
and the Comoros have granted, from time to
time, French ships’ papers and flags to subjects
of the Sultan of Muscat, and the same course
has been taken by the French Consuls at Aden,
Muscat, and Zanzibar. Most of the Omanis who