IOR/R/15/6/253

This volume relates to the prolongation of the Commercial Treaty (1891) between Britain and Muscat (various spellings used throughout). The correspondence mostly concerns matters involving the replacement of the treaty, including, at certain points, discussion of proposed amendments and revisions. The original treaty was given a term of twelve years and was renewed at regular intervals afterwards, initially for several years at a time, and later on an annual basis. In 1937, at the request of the Sultan of Muscat and Oman [Sa‘īd bin Taymūr Āl Bū Sa‘īd], the two parties entered into initial negotiations for the revision of the treaty.

Notable correspondents include the following: the Political Agent and Consul, Muscat; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; the Secretary of State for India; the Sultan of Muscat and Oman [Sa‘īd bin Taymūr Āl Bū Sa‘īd]; officials of the Foreign Office, the Dominions Office, the India Office, and the Government of India's Foreign and Political Department (later the External Affairs Department).

In addition to correspondence the volume includes copies of declarations (in English and Arabic) extending the duration of the treaty for another year, plus a copy of a draft of the new revised treaty (in English only), dated October 1937. Also written in Arabic are several letters of correspondence between the Political Agent and the Sultan [Sa‘īd bin Taymūr Āl Bū Sa‘īd] (English translations are included).

There is no material covering the period 1915-1930. The file reference, which is out of sequence with both preceding and subsequent files, appears to reflect an error in renumbering.