Page 144 - Gulf Precis (III)_Neat

12S

CHAPTER XXIV.
Recent British Relations with the Sultan.
(i) Sayyid Taimur, the Sultan’s eldest son : His proposed tour in India and education-
680. Sayyid Taimur is the oldest son of the Sultan by bis senior wife,
Alaiyoh, daughter of Sayyid Thowoni, nos?
Eitoruol A., April U-02, No* 37-38.
(in 1905) 19 years old. Ho has been
employed by bis father in important military expeditions, and in August l9ol
on his return from a tour in the interior, he was received on his way by sea
from' Matrail by a salute of 13 guns, and the day after his landing paid a visit
to the Political Agent alone. This was the first time he was paid any public
compliments and the incident was regarded as officially marking his entry into
public life.
500. In Major Cox’s opinion ho has the makings of a reasonably capable
and moderate man. Tlio Political Agent suggested the desirability of Sayyid
Taimur being placed under an English tutor and taken in a tour in India to
see something of its grandeur and methods of Government (Captain Cox to
Colonel Kemball, No. 315, dated 4th September 1901).
691. The Government of India approved of the idea of showing Sayyid
Taimur through India, and desired Captain Cox to inform the Sultan that they
were prepared to attach an officer to aid him iu the tour. Such a tour might
inspire him with a desire to be educated at one of the Chiefs’ Colleges in India,
but that was a possibility which was not to be considered at the time (Poreign
Department letter No. Ib02-A., dated 21st October 1901).
(ii) Desire of the Suit an of Maskat to make a present to the King-Emperor on the occasion
of the Coronation : question deferred until the Delhi Durbar, 1902.
692. The Sultan Sayyid Eaisal was anxious, as his grandfather Sayyid
Said had done, to send presents to the
Internal A., liny 1903 No*. 24*28.
lving-Emperor on the occasion of the
coronation as an expression of his cordial sentiments to His Majesty. He pro*
posed first to send a pair of choice Arab horses, but there is practically no
breeding of “high caste” liorses in the Sultan’s dominions. His Highness
therefore decided that the present should take the form of a selection of gold
or gold mounted articles of local workmanship and characteristic Oman design
to the value of about £500, to which he wished to add
2 specimens of the Beatrix Antelope (rare in Europe).
2 specimens of the wild goat of Oman (of which no living specimen had
left the shores of Oman).
693. The Government of India in view of the recent orders of His Majesty’s
Government on the subject of presents would not recommend acceptance of the
presents, were it not that there might be some political advantage in a gift at the
time and that its acceptance might render it easier for us to help the Sultan in
respect of the Yacht later on (Viceroy’s telegram to the Secretary of State dated
14tb April 1902).
694. The Foreign Office suggested postponement of consideration until
some future dale, perhaps that of the Indian celobration, since similar proposals
were being declined in London (Secretary of State’s dated 26th April 1902).
695. Major Cox, then in a demi-official letter dated 31st May 190:7, inform­
ed us that as he had told the Sultan that his
Internal A., July 1902, No*. 219-220.
presents would be acceptable, His Higb-
ness bad made them to order and that they were ready for despatch. He pointed
out that the despatch of the animals could be got out of on score of the proxi­
mity of the monsoon, but that as to the gold articles the Sultan would be hurt
at being told that the question of acceptance would be considered, later.
69 *. The Secretary of State was then addressed by telegram on 12th June
1902
“ Cox was unable owing to absence to communicate message to Sulton until too late to
stop manufacture of gold presents, which are now roady. May they bo despatched? Horses