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together can only bo hold by the same Power. b 01050
Our proposal is—
(1) That tho two sites should ho evenly divided by a wall from the sea
to tho high ground at hack tho cost being divided between the
.French and ourselves.
(2) That ono site should be taken by tho French, tho other by us. Tho
existence of principal sheds, long in our possession on northern
site, would render irs surrender somewhat iuvidious, and French
Government, convinced of our bond fides, might bo expected not
to press for it.
(3) Should tho French choose tho southern site and build further upon
it, they should pay us for shed No. 3.
(4) Should they claim northern site, they will acquire with it sheds
Nos. 1 and 2. They should pay for these ; but occupation should
not take place until wall lias been built and wo have constructed
for ourselves new shed on southern site and have removed our
coal thereto. The invidiousness of this solution* would, to some
extent, be diminished by such a procedure.’*
386. The Secretary of State on tho 1st May 1900, telegraphed that
Monsieur Delcass6 was disposed to accept the division of sites in Makalla Bay
and stated that the available sites should now be divided, and the French
allowed to take their choice.
The following telegram was sent to Colonel Meado :—
Telegram No. 057*E. A., dated tho &tk May 1200.
From—Tlie Foreign Secretary, Simla,
To—Tho Politioal Resident in tho Persian Gulf, Bushiro.
Meade’s letter No. 65, February 19th. French Government are now disposed to accept
division of sites in Makalla (love. Total 6paee should now bo evenly divided by a wall from
6ea to high ground at back. Choice of sitrs will be made when division has been affeoted.
Snltnn should be informed of what we have agreed to. Please instruct Cox accordingly.
The plot of ground to the south of the British coal sheds was select­
ed for the Frenoh coal shed. But here there was the difficulty of securing
the required area of land without having to buy on one side .the huts of Socotra
fishermen, and destroying on the other side two of the British sheds.
387. To understand the position it would be necessary to go a little into
the history of the British coal sheds.
Up to year 1875, Government used to stock their coal in three godowns in
Maskat and the British India Steam Navigation Company had a small coal shed
in the Makalla Cove, for which no rent was paid. Au annual rent. of Rs. 174
was paid by Government for one godowD, the other having been given by the
Sultan rent free. Two fires having broken out in the coal godowns in 1876,
which endangered the safety of the town of Maskat, Sayyid Turki offered to allow
Colonel Miles to build a godown at Makalla next to the British India Steam
Navigation Company’s coal-shed. The Government coal was accordingly stored
there. In 1886 the British India Steam Navigation Company broke up their
coal dep6t and sold the materials of the shed by auction, the site being resume
by the Sultan, and handed over to Colonel Miles for the use of Government.
The ground on which the Makalla coal-sheds stand was not purchased by Govern­
ment nor was it rented, and there is nothing in the records of the Agency o ce
to show whether the Sultan made a gift of it to the British Government or
whether he merely allowed our coal-sheds to be built there out of coor^e?^‘
The whole cove was not taken up by us, a portion of it being occupie /
Socotra fishermen whose huts adjoin our coal-sheds. The cove has always
open to all and no British flag has ever been hoisted at Makalla.