Page 90 - Gulf Precis (III)_Neat

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French agreement, and trust in a few days lie will comply with all the demands of Go
mont. In any case, I think that his subsidy should be withheld until wo 6ce if he is in °Veru'
earnest,
and he should further agree not to receive representatives from other powers.
The Viceroy wired on IGtli -February to the Secretary of State :_
I think that assurance of support should bo given ; also that subsidy should bo withheld
until good behaviour of Sultan vindicated. AT cudo forgets that America and Franco h •
treaty right to consular representation. But I suppose that bo has Russia in view • 0u<Hi
might bo well to provide against oxtouded opportunities for intrigue. Before answering Mead
I a wait your reply. ° c'
339. On the Mtb Admiral Douglas arrived from Bombay. On the 15tU
Resident wrote to the 8ultan that lie should nnonuuco the cancellation in a
Darbar, and post up notification to the same effect, besides informing tho French
Consul by letter and sending copy of the letter to the Roidcnt, that ho should
also signify compliance with tho otlior four demands, that tho Sultan ou*ht not
to have sent copy of British agreement of 1891 to the French Consul, hut
having dono so ho should supply the Political Agent with a copy of tho
French agreement. As no answer was forthcoming from tho Sultan
tho Resident placed matters in the hands of tho Admiral, who peremptorily
summoned the Sultan to come ahraod the flag-ship Eclpse at l v. m.\
and caused the Eclpse to ho wharfed broadsido on to the town and the shipping
to be oleared out of tho lino of lire. Immediately after a letter arrived
from tho Sultan with documents purporting to ho copies of a public
notification published in Maskat and Matrah and of a lettor of cancellation
(on ground of tho 1S91 agreement) to tho French Cousul of the agreement
with the French about a coaling place (tho last date Hh March 1 SOS). Tho
Resident decided these were not sufficient and requested tho Admiral to obtain
full compliance. No notice was taken of a letter from the Sultan stating a
Darbar had boon convened and seeking to avoid a visit to the ilag-ship. Tho
Admiral refused even to allow tho brother of the Sultan on hoard at 1 p.u.
Ultimately the Sultau came on hoard bofore 2 p.ai. After prolonged discussion
the Sultan placed himself unreservedly in tho bauds of the British Government
and left the ship under a salute of 21 guns.
340. On tho IGtli tho Fronch Consul protestod in writing against the cancel­
lation of tho lease. The Sultan wrote to tho Jenebeh to return the flags accepted
by them from foreign powers. On the 17th the Sultan requested the French Consul
to use some person other than Abdul Aziz as a medium of communication,
on the ground that he could not ho received into the sultan's house iu future.
The same day the Sultan informed the French Vice Consul that he did not re­
cognize French jurisdiction over Maskat subjects on Maslcat soil, whether they
were in possession of French flags or not, the French claim being contrary
to the declaration of 1862. On the 17th the Admiral called on tho Sultan and
in the afternoon at a general darbar, attended by all the loading men of Maskat,
the Sultau announced the renewal of amicable relations with the British Govern­
ment and cancellation of the agreement with tho French for a coaling place,
which had been entered into in forgetfulness of tho rights of tho British Gov­
ernment. The instruction not to insist on public cancellation of tho French
agreement reached Maskat too lato.
341. On 20th February the Viceroy instructed the Resident that tho Sultan
might he assured of support, including protection against France, if necessary,
if lie continued to follow British advice, that tho subsidy might ho paid to
him, future continuance to he dependent on friendly behaviour, that the
Sultan, on renewal of subsidy, should he invited to promise to pay due
regard in future to the advice of the British representative. Tho Secretary of
State, in his telegram dated 21st February, authorised assurance of effective
support to the Sultan if necessary ; but the hoisting of the British flag for that
purpose would he unnecessary and indefensible, the continued presence of
British naval force at Maskat being sufficient.
342. In 23rd February Monsieur de Camhon complained to Lord Salisbury
t i a , i ni,i P . 18,0 , ,, of the excessive action of our Admiral and
Telegram dated tbo24th February 1809, from tho nrnca Lord
Secretary of Stute for India, Loudon, to tho Viceroj. tllC publicity and tOUG OX prCSS.
Salisbury maintained that independence
Secret E., March 1830, No* 101-212. (No. 200j.
of the Sultan was seriously threatened if
either signatory to the declaration of 18G2 acting as a sovereign State could lake
a lease of any portion of Maskat territory. Monsieur do Camhon .declined to
admit this interpretation of treaty, and in any case objected to the violent means