would savour of pedantry to deny to them the right of direct communication on points affecting these principles before taking the more formal step of referring the question for discussion between the two Governments, and though it may perhaps be argued that Captain Cox gave to his communication too official a form, His Majesty's Government cannot perceive that he was at fault in addressing himself directly to M. Laronce on the subject of the complaints which he had received from the Sultan.

5. These matters are, however, only of subsidiary importance, and while His Majesty's Government have thought it right to offer the foregoing observations and explanations in reply to M. Cambon's communication, they are happy to perceive that, on the main points of the question, the two Governments are practically in accord.

(a.) They understand that both Governments agree in desiring to maintain the independence of the Sultan, and to aid him in consolidating his authority.

(b.) That the French Government is determined to take all necessary precautions for preventing slave-trading under the cover of the French flag.

(c.) That no fresh papers of protection have been granted to Suri or Muscat dhows since June 1900, and that the practice will be discontinued for the future.

(d.) That a careful examination is being made as to the validity of present claims to protection based on the possession of French papers given prior to June 1900.

(e.) That no right of protection on shore or in the territorial waters of Muscat is claimed by the French Government in respect of subjects of the Sultan of Muscat holding such papers, and that within the Sultan's territory they are to be regarded as subject to his ordinary jurisdiction.

These bases appear to His Majesty's Government to afford a satisfactory settlement of the question. They would suggest that, for the convenience of all parties, it would be desirable that a list of the dhows and owners considered to be entitled to the use of the French flag should be communicated to the Sultan, and supplied also to the British Consul for the information of the British cruisers stationed in those waters.

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Annex 1.

Statement of British Subject at Sür regarding Slave Season, 1901.

Hindu, aged 50, British Indian subject, states: I have resided in Sür, on and off, for the last 30 years, paying an occasional visit to my home in India. I see anything that passes in regard to slave-dealing at Sür. I do not notice any marked decrease in the number of slaves that come to Sür.

According to my estimation, not less than 1,000 came during the past season. Most of them have been taken away, but there are still about 50 left.

Some Arabs from the Bussorah side are now here. I have seen two of them. They are stopping in the house of a man who acts as middleman for the purchase of slaves. The broker's name is Khamis Wad Hajjam of the Jennebeh tribe, but I am not sure what section of that tribe he belongs to. These Up Gulf Arabs have, I believe, bought 7 slaves, and will go on purchasing to the extent of the money that they have brought with them, and then clear off in small country craft.

During the past season 6 dhows brought large cargoes of slaves, among them were the dhows of

I cannot remember at this moment the names of the others. The first three came under the
French flag.

The dhows that bring them receive 10 dollars for each slave's passage to Sür. The men whose dhows bring the slaves are not necessarily the slave dealers.

The chief shippers are

Abdalla Wazir, Plathan or Makrani, also imports slaves. He takes gunpowder and brings back slaves. The slaves come both under the French and Arab flags.

All the chief Sheikhs of Sür, whatever their flag, participate indirectly, if not directly, in the Traffic. Each man gives money to those that are going to the African coast for the purchase of two or three slaves. Muhammad Mubarak, Salim-bin-Thabet, and all of them do this.

Only 15 or 20 females were bought. A great many of the slaves are shipped by twos and threes up to the Batineh coast at the beginning of the date season.

Muhammad Mubarak's dhow makes one or two voyages during the season.
Khamis-bin Ali's two dhows go two or three times generally to Bombay.

Khamis-bin-Musallim's two go two or three times, and on the way back come home viâ Aden

and Mukullah, returning before the monsoon.

According to what I hear people say in conversation, many slaves come from a district called

Mereema.

The dhow-owners buy small local craft with which they can run up creeks into the hinterland, where they purchase their slaves at from 5 dollars to 20 dollars each, and then rejoin their

dhows.

Abdulla-bin-Salim, the Beni Abu Ali Amir, takes 2 dollars on every slave brought in through Lashkareh or other ports in his country; and Hamood-bin-Sultan and Abdulla-bin-Saced take 21 dollars between them on each slave lauded at Sür. Before me,

November 26, 1901.

P. Z. COX, Captain,
His Britannic Majesty's Consul and
Political Agent at Muscat.

Annex 2.

(Extract.)

Captain Cox to the British Consul-General at Bushire.

Muscat, January 21, 1902.

IN continuation of my letter of the 2nd instant, I have the honour to report that I was under the necessity of proceeding to Sür on the 15th instant in connection with a serious robbery which recently took place on the premises of one of the British subjects there, and I then took the opportunity of verifying the information furnished in Inclosure No. 2 of the above-mentioned despatch, under the following circumstances:

2. I had occasion to interview the chief Banians in connection with the robbery and their affairs generally, and when the man visited me I said I had mislaid the notes he had given me before, and asked him to repeat the purport of what he had then told me. He proceeded to do so, and his statement was generally in conformity with that made to me two months before. With regard, however, to the names of individuals alleged by him as having brought slaves to Sür under the French flag, when pressed to be very careful to give the exact names of the persons in question, he replied that he almost invariably heard them called by their fathers' names according to the common habit of the Arabs, i.e., the son of so and so, e.g., Ibn Rashid, Ibn Saood, and that, while he was quite familiar with their personal identity and patronymics, it was difficult for him to swear positively to their first names, especially where there are two or three brothers of one family.

After examining I mingled the names he had given me with the names of about seventy other Süris, and went through them all in the presence of the Banian community and of the Sultan's Wali at Sür, inquiring, as I called each name, as to whether the owner of it was still alive and known to those present, and asking details regarding age, tribe, &c.

3. The following is the net result of my inquiries-the man being responsible for the details connected with slave-trading, and the community generally for the correctness of the names as now stated in corroboration or modification of those given by in November :— (a.) The name as first stated was Muhammad-bin-Khalfan.

This should read Ali-bin-Khalfan-bin-Rashid of the Beni Abu Ali tribe.

Khalfan had two sons, Muhammad and Ali, both of whom habitually engaged in the Slave Traffic. It was Ali who brought the dhow home this year. He started with 110, but lost 20 en route. He sails under the French flag, and has now left with his dhow for Zanzibar waters. (b.) The name as first stated was Abdalla-bin-Habbab.

This should read Yusuf-bin-Khamis-el-Habbab; "Habbab" is the family nickname.

Abdalla and Yusuf, sons of Kamis-el-Habbab, have been French flag-holders for ten or twelve years, and had a dhow which they sailed under French colours, but it was wrecked two years ago, and Abdalla has since died. Yusuf last season went as a passenger in the dhow of Suweilim-bin-Salim, an Arab subject, and has started again for Zanzibar waters.

(c.) The name as first stated was Muhammad-bin-Saiyid.

This should read Muhammad-bin-Saivid-el-Jafferi.

His house is at the Beni Abu Ali fishing village of Lashkarch, below Ras-el-Had, but he always docks his dhow at Sür. He flies the French flag over his vessel. He and his brother Ali brought about forty slaves this year, and have now left again for Zanzibar waters.

4. I have given the foregoing details of my procedure in order to make it clear that to the extent that is possible under the circumstances, I have verified the information previously given me.

In my own opinion my Banian informant could have had no ostensible reason for making a wilfully false statement, and, if it was false, it is extremely improbable that he could have repeated it without any very material discrepancy after an interval of nearly two months. I think, therefore, that it may be accepted as reliable testimony of the fact that the three persons named did engage in the Slave Trade and under the French flag.

(No. 171.) Sir,

APPENDIX No. 30.

The Marquess of Lansdowne to Sir E. Monson.

Foreign Office, April 23, 1902. THE French Ambassador spoke to me to-day upon the subject of the Memorandum which I had handed to him on the 16th instant in regard to the circumstances under which certain dhows belonging to Sür and Muscat were in the habit of flying the French flag.

His Excellency told me that he wished me to understand that his conversations with me on this subject were purely unofficial, and that he regarded the question as being one of very small importance. He reminded me that, although I had thought well to make a copy of his Memorandum of the 14th August, he had received no instructions to communicate such a document to me; he proposed, in the same way, to take a copy of my Memorandum and to return the original to He wished me particularly to understand that there was no question of the French Government desiring to interfere in any way with the Sultan of Muscat, and that his only wish had been to discourage us, so far as he was able, from any action which might, by obliging the owners of these dhows to give up the flags they already possessed, affect the amour propre of his country.

me.

I told his Excellency that I had quite understood his desire that our conversations should be regarded as personal exchanges of views rather than as formal representations on the part of our two Governments, and that I was glad to learn from him that he regarded the incident as of slight importance and as virtually disposed of.

I am, &c.

(Confidential.)

Sir.

Commander Kemp to Rear-Admiral Sir C. Drury.

66

Sphinx," at Muscat, 17th April, 1903. WITH regard to the French flag incidents at Sür and Muscat, I have the honour to report as follows:

In the neighbourhood of Sür there is an Arab tribe called the Beni-al-Ali, who form part of the Gafiri Arabs, and who are at present at war with the Hajarien section of the Hinawi tribe.

2. The people living in Sür belong to the Gafiris, the Sheikh of whom is named Abdulla-binSalem. Abdulla-bin-Salem found recently that the people at. Sür, that is the people of his own tribe, were assisting the Hinawi, with whom he was at war, by sending them stores and assisting them with transport, &c. He then took a force and came down to East Sür, and posted men on the roads leading from Sür inland. He also forbade any native vessel to enter or leave Sür Creek until the matter was settled. After some negotiations between himself and the headmen of Sir, it was arranged that the latter should pay him 300 dollars. According to Arab custom this fine would have been collected by the headmen of Sür from among the inhabitants as best they could.

3. Among other dhows lying in Sür Creek was one owned by a certain Mubarek-bin-Hamed, who had taken out papers in the name of his son, under which he flew the French flag on his

dhow.

Both these men were undoubtedly subjects of the Sultan of Muscat, who does not admit that they have any right under the French flag in his own territory.

4. While the negotiations between Abdulla-bin-Salem and the headmen of Sür were going on, Mubarek-bin-Hamed expressed his intention of leaving Sür in his dhow under cover of the French flag, obviously in order to avoid his tribal difficulties and responsibilities. He was warned that if he did so he would be prevented, and on his persisting, some of Abdulla-bin-Salem's men fired, and a shot went through the French flag.

5. A few days afterwards the son, Mubarek-bin-Hamed, managed to get away to Muscat, and complained to the French Consul, who demanded from the Sultan that a fine of 1,500 dollars should be paid for the brief detention of the dhow, and that the people who had fired on the French flag might be punished.

The Sultan refused to allow the claim, and informed the British Consul. Major Cox protested strongly against the action of the French Consul in formulating such a claim, which was incompatible with the independence of the Sultan.

Sheikh Abdulla-bin-Salem is loyal to his suzerain, the Sultan of Muscat, and his action was purely a matter of inter-tril al politics.

6. The second case occurred on the 9th April.

On 8th April, three Arabs and their two servants, all natives of Sür and subjects of the Sultan of Muscat, arrived at Muscat in a mail-steamer from Bombay, the Arabs travelling 2nd class and their servants 3rd class.

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The two servants were sent to the quarantine station, and the three Arabs were told to report themselves every day to the Health Officer for inspection, the rule being that the 3rd-class passengers are kept on the quarantine station and 2nd-class passengers report themselves every day.

During the night of the 9th April, the three Arabs obtained a hired native boat, and having picked up their two servants at the quarantine station, sailed for Sür. They were followed next day by a steam-boat from the "Perseus," in accordance with the Sultan's request conveyed through Major Cox, and brought back to Muscat; the native boat went on to Sür.

7. On arrival at Muscat, at about 10 P.M., the five men were delivered over to the British Consul. who kept them in the Consulate for the night, and handed them over to the Sultan next morning, who sent them back to quarantine.

When the time for quarantine was finished, the Sultan imprisoned them in the fort, and expressed his intention of keeping them in prison for three months for a gross breach of the Quarantine Regulations.

8. The French Consul, who claimed three out of the five Arabs as French protégés, protested to Major Cox against his having detained them, and demanded their immediate release from the Sultan. Major Cox declined to admit the right of the French Consul to discuss the question, and the Sultan refused to release them.

The Sultan, in a letter to the French Consul, pointed out that these men were punished for a breach of the law of their country, and that the whole question of the French flag in Oman was under discussion between the French and British Governments in Europe, and that he was prepared to accept their joint decision with regard to the matter, with due regard to his own independence, but deprecated heated correspondence in Muscat himself.

9. Major Cox considers that this claim on the part of the French Consul is an undoubted attempt to interfere with the Sultan's prerogative, and has telegraphed strongly to the Indian Government, asking that instructions may be sent, and that assurances may be given to the Sultan that his authority will be upheld in the matter.

10. It is generally the custom of the French Consul to visit Sür at this time of the year, and stay there a month. Previously to these things happening the French Consul had expressed his intention of going down to Sür in a native boat, but he has now abandoned his intention, and probably means waiting for a man-of-war.

M. Dorville is the French Consul, and has only been in Muscat a month.

11. These incidents have caused Major Cox to postpone his intended visit to Darfur, at the request of the Sultan, who is apprehensive of things happening.

12. The Health Officer at Muscat is the British Consular Surgeon, who receives pay from the Sultan for doing his work, and who is entirely answerable to him for the Quarantine Regulations being carried out.

Muscat, April 11, 1903.

I HAVE the honour to report that the question of the French flag in Oman has just been acutely raised. The circumstances are as follows:

2. It is necessary, in the first place, to go briefly to tribal politics in order that the Government of India may be acquainted with the exact position.

The tribes of Oman are divided into two great racial divisions--Ghafiri and Hinawi. Tribes of both divisions are settled indiscriminately in the vicinity of one another throughout the country, but their interests and organization are distinct, and some sections of the one division are almost invariably at war with sections of the other.

Sür is inhabited by Ghafiris, primarily of the tribe of Beni Abu Ali, subject to whom are another Ghafiri tribe, the Jenebeh. Most of the French flag-holders are recruited from the Jenebeh sub-tribe, but some also from the main tribe of Beni Abu Ali.

Sheikh Abdulla-bin-Salim, of the Beni Abu Ali, is the Head Sheikh of all the Beni Abu Ali, calls himself the Ghafiri "Amir"; and, apart from the more remote sovereignty of the Ruler of Oman, which Sheikh Abdulla loyally acknowledges, the latter holds absolute practical sway over all the Ghafiri tribes of that part of Oman which is known as the district of Jalaan" (see map, Inclosure No. 9).

Sheikh Abdulla, who is a very old man, and his Bedouin followers (as opposed to the seagoing population of Sür), ever since the time when they were defeated by a British force in March 1821, have always been good friends to the British.

Sheikh Abdulla is well known to me, has repeatedly invited me to come and stay with him at his home, about 70 miles inland of Sür, and two years ago, when Dr. von Kraft and I were "held up" by the Hinawi while endeavouring to get to the coal-bearing country, offered to muster the entire following and forcibly introduce us into the coal-bearing tract from the south side.

It was Sheikh AL dulla also who, in June 1900, came into Sür with 1,000 armed followers to greet the Sultan, and afterwards so materially assisted His Highness in obtaining from the French flag-holders the written undertaking which they afterwards broke.

3. For some weeks past active hostilities have been going on between the Ghafiris under Abdulla-bin-Salim and the Hinawi tribes of the district, especially a tribe called the Hijrieen. Now, the poorer part of the populace of Sür partly make their livelihood by transporting rice and other provisions to the villages of the hinterland, not only Ghafiri, but also Hinawi, when there is no war, and also at other times, so long as the risk is not too great; but Abdulla-bin-Salim, not being able to terminate current hostilities and bloodshed by other means, and becoming incensed at his fellow tribesmen of Sür continuing to supply his enemies with provisions, came down to Sür about the 16th March with a force of 500 armed inen, camped in the Eigeh quarter of Sur (vide sketch map accompanying), and proceeded to hold all the roads leading to the interior, until such time as he could obtain satisfactory assurances from the Elders of the port that they would cease to allow their transport to take provisions to his enemies. Sheikh Abdulla at the same time wrote to the Sultan, asking him to come down and help him arrange the affair, but at the moment no ship was available for the journey, and ten days later, when the Resident kindly undertook to drop His Highness there in the Lawrence," if he could find his own way back, he thought it would be too late to be of use, and that in the meanwhile the matter would have adjusted itself. In fact, that was the news which he received from Sür.

Subsequently the Sheikh wrote to me, also complaining that the Banian community were assisting his enemies by sending provisions to their villages, and asking me to put a stop to it. His letter and my reply form Inclosures Nos. 7 and 8.

The details of what passed between Sheikh Abdulla and the Elders of Sür will be found in the news-letter sent to me by a confidential agent at Sür (Inclosure No. 1). from which it appears that the dhow owned by one Mubarek-bin-Hamed which carries French papers made out in the name of his son, and not himself, was lying in the creek behind Sür, and was ready to go to sea. The owner, fearing that he might be forced to subscribe to the money payment demanded by Abdulla-bin-Salim, and that if he refused, his dhow might be detained, ordered the French flag to be run up and endeavoured to run the gauntlet past Sheikh Abdulla's camp out of the creek. The position will be quite clear from a reference to the map. After due warning, the dhow was fired at. It seems unnecessary to go into the ethics of Sheikh Abdulla's proceedings, which were clearly the result of ordinary inter-tribal complications peculiar to the conditions of life in Oman. The main point is that the man Mubarek-bin-iHamed made use of the French flag in the territorial limits of Sür in order to evade his tribal obligations. His son, Khamis-bin-Mubarek, hurried to Muscat as soon as he could get away, and laid his complaint before M. Dorville, the new French Consul, who relieved M. Laronce three weeks ago. According to the statement of an informant who is generally reliable. M. Dorville was at first disinclined to take the matter up, but the flagholder said that he would return his papers if he was not supported, whereupon M. Dorville sent for Goguyer, and after consulting him addressed to the Sultan the letter copy of which forms Inclosure No. 4. His Highness the Sultan forwarded his letter to me and also a copy of his own reply thereto, also attached. My own protest, M. Dorville's reply, and my final rejoinder (Nos. 6, 7, and 8) explain themselves.

4. Just as I am concluding this letter flis Highness sends me a further letter which he has received from the French Consul, demanding compensation in the sum of 1,500 dollars for the detention of the dhow, and saying that he is referring the question of the damaged flag to his Government.

The second incident I am reporting in a separate letter for facility of record.

Agent at Sür to Major Cox.

(Translation.)

(After compliments.)

March 27, 1903.

(The arrival of Abdulla-bin-Salim from the interior was reported by the writer in a previous correspondence.)

March 21.—Four of Abdulla-bin-Salim's men were passing down the Sikaikera road, when they met some women slaves going to fetch water. The women, seeing the men, started shouting, whereupon a number of Süris rushed out with their rifles to Sikaikera and fired off some shots. On hearing this, some hundred men belonging to Abdulla-bin-Salim sallied out to meet the Süris, but four of the Süri Elders thereupon came upon the scene and settled the matter. After this the Süris kept a guard, night and day, in Sikaikera, as they feared that Abdulla-binSalim would prevent the Süris from going there for water.

March 22-About thirteen Süris went to visit Abdulla-bin-Salim, among them being Sheikhs Muhammad-bin-Mubarak and Nasir-bin-Muhammad Gelani. When they approached the encampment, Abdulla-bin-Salim sent word by his slave to say that only Sheikhs Muhammad-bin-Mubarak and Nasir-bin-Muhammad should come in, and that he had no concern with the rest. The Sheikhs above mentioned visited Abdulla-bin-Salim, whom they interviewed. Abdulla-bin-Salim told them to stop supplying all provisions to the Ilijrieen, and also forbade them to ship or bring anything for them in their buglas, or to warehouse their goods. Finally, it was settled, after a deal of discussion, that, as the present season was over, nothing could be done now, but that, for the coming season, the Süris would respect the wishes of Abdulla-bin-Salim.

March 23.-Nothing transpired.

March 24.-Sheikh Muhammad-bin-Mubarak sent 100 dollars to Abdulla-bin-Salin, for the expenses of his followers and transport animals, which Abdullah-bin-Salim accepted.

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