Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/45

 1899.] The French at Muscat. [37

Calcutta a small squadron was despatched at once to Muscat with orders to insist upon the cancelling of the treaty, and failing to obtain this to bombard the town and to depose the ruler — who chose the former. On the matter being referred to in Parliament the Secretary for India, Lord George Hamilton, stated (Feb. 23) that the concession to France of a coaling station was contrary to treaty and would be cancelled. The Sultan of Oman had for years been in receipt of a subsidy from the Indian Government, although the relations between him and the British Government did not necessarily interfere with the exercise of sovereign rights, and the French and British Governments agreed reciprocally in 1862 to respect those rights. Lord Onslow in the House of Lords further stated (Feb. 24) that the Indian Office had obtained in 1891 an engagement from the Sultan which placed him under a special obligation as to the assignment and alienation of his territory. Notwithstanding his obligation, the Sultan lately admitted that he proposed to cede to the French Government a port called Bunder Jisseh, five miles south-east of Muscat. On hearing of this by accident, the British agent ,was directed to protest against the execution of an agreement which would have been contrary to treaty. At the same time the Sultan's attention was drawn to other claims which the Government of India had upon him ; and his Highness, after some delay, had complied with all demands.

The matter might at this point have been left to diplomatic arrangement, but the Opposition in the French Chamber, seeing an opportunity of attacking the Ministry, brought up the question. M. Delcass6, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, having been forced to speak, declared (March 6) that the British and French had equal rights in Muscat, which in fact had existed up to 1862, when the Sultan became a subsidised sovereign. The French Consul, M. Delcass6 went on to say, had asked for a coaling depdt only, and thereupon pressure was put by the British agent upon the Sultan to induce the latter to refuse. The French Government thereupon complained to Lord Salis- bury, who, " profoundly regretting the action of an unauthorised agent, had acceded to the French wish for a coaling station without cession of territory." This extraordinary version of the story, abandoning all reference to the actual demands of the French Consul to fortify the new acquisition, required prompt explanation. On the next day (March 7), therefore, in reply to Sir Charles Dilke, the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Brodrick (Guildford, Surrey) explained that in the middle of March, 1898, the French Consul obtained from the Sultan of Muscat the lease or concession of a piece of land as a coal dep6t. On the land, which included a small harbour some way from Muscat, the French had stipulated for the right to hoist their flag and to build fortifications. No hint of these proceedings reached the British Agent until early in the present year, and as soon as they were known they were declared by the British