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landed for transhipment, designating at the same time the foreign port of destination, and also provided that the said goods are actually shipped for the said foreign port as originally declared, within a period not exceeding six months after their first landing, and without having, in the interval, changed owners.

2. All goods and merchandize which, not being consigned to a port within the dominions of the Sultan, have been inadvertently landed, provided that such goods are reshipped within a month of being so landed and transported abroad. Should, however, such goods or merchandize, here spoken of, be opened or removed from the custody of the Customs authorities, the full duty shall then be payable on the same.

3. Coals, naval provisions, stores, and fittings, the property of Her Majesty's Government, landed in the dominions of His Highness for the use of the ships of Her Majesty's navy.

4. All goods and merchandize transhipped or landed for the repair of damage caused by stress of weather or other disaster at sea, provided the cargo so discharged shall be reshipped and taken away on board of the same vessel, or if the latter shall have been condemned, or her departure delayed, in any other manner.

ARTICLE VII.

No article whatever shall be prohibited from being imported into or exported from the territories of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat, and no export duties are to be levied on goods exported from those territories except with the consent of the Government of Her Britannic Majesty, such consent being subject to the conditions that may be laid down in the notifications intimating the same.

ARTICLE VIII.

It is agreed and understood by the High Contracting Parties that, in the event of an arrangement being entered into hereafter between His Highness and the Powers having Treaty relations with Muskat, and to which Great Britain shall be a consenting party, whereby vessels entering the port of Muskat shall be charged with shipping, tonnage, or harbour dues, such dues to be administered under the control of a special Board for the improvement of the harbour and construction and maintenance of light-houses, &c. ; nothing in the aforementioned provisions shall be construed so as to exempt British vessels from payment of such shipping, harbour, or tonnage dues as may hereafter be agreed upon.

ARTICLE IX.

It shall be at the option of the British subject in each case to pay the percentage duties stipulated in Article VI, either in cash, or, if the nature of the goods allows of it, in kind, by giving up an equivalent amount of the goods or produce.

In the event of payment being made in cash, the value of the merchandize, goods, or produce on which duty is to be levied, shall be fixed according to the ready-money market price ruling at the time when the duty is levied. In the case of foreign imports, the value shall be fixed according to the market price at Muskat, and in that of native goods and produce by the market price at the place where the merchant shall choose to pay the duty.

In the event of any dispute arising between a British subject and the Custom-house authorities regarding the value of such goods, this shall be determined by reference to two experts, each party nominating one, and the value so ascertained shall be decisive. Should, however, these experts not be able to agree, they shall choose an umpire, whose decision is to be considered final.

ARTICLE X.

His Highness the Sultan of Muskat engages by the present Treaty to provide and give orders to his officials that the movement of goods in transit shall not be obstructed or delayed in a vexatious manner by unnecessary Customs formalities and Regulations, and that every facility will be given for their transport.

ARTICLE XI.

British vessels entering a port in the dominions of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat, in distress, shal! receive from the local authorities all necessary aid to enable them to revictual and refit so as to proceed on their voyage.

Should a British vessel be wrecked off the coast of His Highness' dominions, the authorities of His Highness shall render all assistance in their power to the distressed vessel, in order to save the ship, her cargo, and those on board; they shall also give aid and protection to persons saved, and shall assist them in reaching the nearest British Consulate; they shall further take every possible care that the goods so recovered are safely stored, and kept for the purpose of being handed over to the owner, captain, agent of the ship, or British Consul, subject always to rights of salvage.

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His Highness' authorities shall further see that the British Consulate is at once informed of such disaster having occurred.

Should a British vessel, wrecked on the coast of His Highness' dominions, be plundered, the authorities of His Highness shall, as soon as they come to know thereof, render prompt assistance and take measures to pursue and punish the robbers, and recover the stolen property. Likewise, should a vessel of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat, or of one of his subjects, enter a British port in distress, or be wrecked off the coast of Her Majesty's dominions, the like help and assistance shall be rendered by the British authorities.

ARTICLE XII.

Should sailors or others belonging to a British ship of war or merchant-vessel desert and take refuge on shore or on board of any of His Highness' ships, the authorities of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat shall, upon request of a Consular official, or, in his absence, of the captain of the ship, take the necessary steps in order to have them arrested and delivered over to the Consular official or to the captain.

In this, however, the Consular officer and captain shall render every assistance.

ARTICLE XIII.

Subjects of Her Britannic Majesty shall, as regards their person and property, enjoy within the dominions of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat the rights of exterritoriality.

The authorities of His Highness the Sultan have no right to interfere in disputes with subjects of Her Britannic Majesty amongst themselves, or between them and members of other Christian nations; such questions, whether of a civil or criminal nature, shall be decided by the competent Consular authorities. The trial and also the punishment of all offences and crimes of which British subjects may be accused within the dominions of His Highness the Sultan, also the hearing and settlement of all civil questions, claims, or disputes in which they are the defendants is expressly reserved to the British Consular authorities and Courts, and removed from the jurisdiction of His Highness the Sultan.

Should disputes arise between subjects of His Highness the Sultan or other non-Christian Power, not represented by Consuls at Muskat, and a subject of Her Britannic Majesty, in which the British subject is the plaintiff or complainant, the matter shall be brought before and decided by the highest authority of the Sultan, or some person specially delegated by him for this purpose. The proceedings and final decision in such a case shall not, however, be considered legal unless notice has been given and an opportunity afforded for the British Consul or his substitute to attend at the hearing and final decision.

ARTICLE XIV.

Subjects of His Highness the Sultan, or any non-Christian nation, not represented by Consuls at Muskat, who are in the regular service of British subjects within the dominions of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat, shall enjoy the same protection as British subjects themselves.

Should they be charged with having committed a crime or serious offence punishable by law, they shall, on sufficient evidence being shown to justify further proceedings, be handed over by British employers, or by order of the British Consul, to the authorities of His Highness the Sultan for trial and punishment.

ARTICLE XV.

Should a subject of Her Majesty residing in the dominions of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat be adjudicated bankrupt, the British Consul shall take possession of, recover, and realize all available property and assets of such bankrupt, to be dealt with and distributed according to the provisions of English Bankruptcy Law.

ARTICLE XVI.

Should a subject of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat resist or evade payment of the just and rightful claims of a British subject, the authorities of His Highness the Sultan shall afford to the British creditor every aid and facility in recovering the amount due to him. In like manner the British Consul shall afford every aid and facility to subjects of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat, in recovering debts justly due to them from a British subject.

ARTICLE XVII.

Should a British subject die within the dominions of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat, or dying elsewhere leave property therein, movable or immovable, the British Consul shall be authorized to collect, realize, and take possession of the estate of the deceased, to be disposed of according to the provisions of English law.

ARTICLE XVIII.

The houses, dwellings, warehouses, and other premises of British subjects, or of persons actually in their regular service within the dominions of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat, shall not be entered, or searched under any pretext, by the officials of His Highness without the consent of the occupier, unless with the cognizance and assistance of the British Consul or his substitute.

ARTICLE XIX.

It is hereby agreed between the two High Contracting Parties that, in the event of an agreement being hereafter arrived at between His Highness the Sultan of Muskat and the various Powers with which His Highness shall be in Treaty relations, including Great Britain, which must be a consenting party, whereby the residents of a district or town shall, without distinction of nationality, be made subject to the payment of local taxes, for municipal and sanitary purposes, the same to be fixed and administered by or under the control of a special Board, nothing contained in this Treaty shall be understood so as to exempt British residents from the payment of such

taxes.

ARTICLE XX.

Subjects of the two High Contracting Parties shall, within the dominions of each other, enjoy freedom of conscience and religious toleration, the free and public exercise of all forms of religion, and the right to build edifices for religious worship.

ARTICLE XXI.

The stipulations of the present Treaty shall be applicable to all the Colonies and foreign possessions of Her Britannic Majesty so far as the laws permit, excepting to those hereinafter named, that is to say, except to

The Dominion of Canada.

Newfoundland.

The Cape of Good Hope.
Natal.

New South Wales.

Victoria.

Queensland.

Tasmania.

South Australia.

Western Australia.

New Zealand.

Provided always that the stipulations of the present Treaty shall be made applicable to any of the above-named Colonies or foreign possessions, on whose behalf notice to that effect shall have been given by Her Britannic Majesty's Representative in Muskat to His Highness the Sultan within two years from the date of exchange of the ratifications of the present Treaty.

ARTICLE XXII.

The present Treaty has been executed in quadruplicate, two copies being written in English and two in Arabic. These are understood to be of similar import and signification; in the event, however, of doubt hereafter arising as to the proper interpretation of the English or Arabic text of one or other of the Treaty stipulations, the English text shall be considered decisive. The Treaty shall come into operation within one month after the date when the ratifications may take place.

ARTICLE XXIII.

After the lapse of twelve years from the date on which this Treaty shall come into force, and on twelve months' notice given by either party, this Treaty shall be subject to revision by PleniH

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potentiaries appointed on both sides for this purpose, who shall be empowered to decide on and adopt such amendments as experience shall prove to be desirable.

In witness whereof Colonel Edward Charles Ross, C.S.I., on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen. of Great Britain and Ireland, and Empress of India, and His Highness Seyyed Feysal-binTurki, Sultan of Muskat, on his own behalf, have signed the same and affixed thereto their respective seals.

Done at Muskat, this 19th day of March, 1891, corresponding to the 8th Shaaban of the year 1308 Hijreea.

(Signed)

EDWARD CHARLES ROSS, Colonel,

Political Resident in the Persian Gulf. (Signature in Arabic of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat.)

Protocol.

The Undersigned, in proceeding to the exchange of ratifications of the Treaty signed at Muskat on the 19th March, 1891, between Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, and His Highness Seyyed Feysal-bin-Turki, Sultan of Muskat, have agreed to the present Protocol, which shall have the same force and validity as if it had been inserted in the body of the Treaty itself.

It is agreed that under Article XXIII of the said Treaty either of the High Contracting Parties shall be at liberty, after the expiration of twelve years from the date on which the Treaty has come into force, to terminate the said Treaty at any time on giving twelve months' notice. In witness whereof the Undersigned, duly authorized for the purpose, have signed the present Protocol, in quadruplicate, and have affixed thereto their seals.

Done at Muskat, on the 20th day of February, 1892.

(Signed)
(L.S.)

(L.S.)

A. C. TALBOT, Lieutenant-Colonel,
Political Resident, Persian Gulf.

(Signature in Arabic of His Highness the
Sultan of Muskat.)

LIST OF BRITISH COLONIES WHICH ACCEDED TO THE TREATY UNDER

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THE FOLLOWING COLONIES HAVE NOT ACCEDED TO THE TREATY:

1. CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

2. VICTORIA.

3. TASMANIA.

4. WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

5. NEW ZEALAND.

6. NEW SOUTH WALES.

7. SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

APPENDIX No. 4.

My Lord,

The Marquess of Salisbury to the Earl of Lytton.

Foreign Office, October 29, 1888. ON the 14th ultimo I requested Mr. Egerton to bring to the notice of the French Government the fact of the existence of a considerable Trade in Slaves on board vessels flying the French flag off the East Coast of Africa, and to urge them to take steps to remedy the abuse. On the 26th ultimo he reported that orders had already been sent, as notified in the "Temps" of

the 16th ultimo, to the French Admiral on the East Coast to take active steps against all vessels found to be engaged in the Slave Trade, under whatever flag. Acting under instructions, your Lordship, on the 24th instant, expressed the satisfaction of Her Majesty's Government that some steps were being taken, and remarked on the regrettable absence of any Slave Trade Treaty between this country and France empowering them to exercise the right of search over suspected vessels belonging to either country.

The papers named in the margin, of which copies are now inclosed, give further details. of the extent which the protection afforded under existing circumstances by the French flag is abused on the East Coast of Africa.

Unfortunately, the evil is not merely of recent growth, though intensified by the facilities afforded to native craft of obtaining the French flag by the extension of French influence in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands.

To go no further back, in 1880 and 1881 the question had been the subject of correspondence between the two Governments, and in December of the latter year Captain Brownrigg, of Her Majesty's ship "London," was killed by Arabs on board a dhow which was carrying slaves under French colours. Her Majesty's Government then brought before the French Government the urgent necessity for Her Majesty's ships being temporarily permitted to search dhows carrying French colours, but though they received the greatest sympathy, and though special measures were adopted by the French naval authorities on the spot, the French Government expressed themselves unable, for reasons given in M. Gambetta's note to Lord Lyons of the 10th December, 1882, to grant the desired permission. The instance quoted at p. 332 of the Blue Book on Slave Trade affairs issued in 1882 of a French dhow being seized in Zanzibar Harbour with 100 slaves on board, with correct papers signed by the French Consul on the morning of the day she was taken, gave a striking proof of the facility of abuses even at that time.

The correspondence which appeared in the Blue Books for 1886 and 1887 showed the existence of irregularities in the labour traffic between Madagascar and Réunion, which amounted to a regular Trade in Slaves, and the ease with which such abuses could be carried on, and the conclusion is unavoidable that the immunity from search enjoyed by vessels under the French flag is an encouragement to slavers to carry on the Traffic by sea, and consequently tends to a development of the Trade on land, which, apart from its inherent atrocity, devastates and depopulates a country which the nations of Europe are now earnestly endeavouring to open up to Christianity and civilization.

Her Majesty's Government are fully alive to the necessity of securing vessels carrying on legitimate commerce on the coasts of Africa as well as elsewhere from undue and vexatious interference on the part of vessels of their own or any other nationality, but the Treaties into which they have entered with other nations for the suppression of the Slave Trade have rarely led to any grave difficulties, whilst they have been proved to exercise a most beneficial deterrent effect.

The limited powers conferred upon the naval officers of France and England by the agreement recorded in the Instructions of 1888 have unfortunately proved insufficient, and it must be contrary to the wish of the French Government that their strict observance should confer immunity upon persons who are guilty of practices condemned by every civilized nation of the world.

I have therefore to request that your Excellency will furnish the French Government with a copy of this despatch, and will express to them the hope of Her Majesty's Government that they will consent to enter into an arrangement by which the cruisers of the two Powers may respectively be empowered to exercise the right of search and detention, when necessary, over sailing-vessels flying the flag of either country and navigating in the waters between the East Coast of Africa and the islands adjacent, namely, the Comoros and Madagascar.

I am, &c. (Signed)

SALISBURY.

Sir.

Inclosure No. 1.

Admiralty to Foreign Office.

Admiralty, October 15, 1888.

I AM commanded by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit, for the information of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the accompanying copy of a communication from the Commander-in-chief of the East Indian Station, with inclosure from the commanding officer of Her Majesty's ship "Griffon," having reference to the proceedings of a native vessel, flying the French flag, engaged in the Slave Trade.

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I am, &c.

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