IOR/L/PS/10/237

The volume contains telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, notes, printed reports and two press-cuttings relating to the arms traffic in Muscat and arrangements for its regulation.

Issues discussed include:

• French proposals regarding the suspension of the Sultan of Muscat's regulations. The approval of rules concerning the warehouse for ammunition;
• French schemes to evade the Sultan of Muscat's regulations by trans-shipment;
• instructions for H M Ambassador in Paris on the question of compensation for stock laid up in bonded warehouses;
• Anglo-French diplomacy and negotiations for an exchange of interests and payment of compensation for armaments confiscated;
• assurances to the French Government that no confiscation will take place pending arbitration if it is entered into;
• enquiry from the Foreign Office on continuing export of armaments;
• weekly naval reports from the Gulf, Trucial Coast and Katr [Qatar].

The file includes two press cuttings on folio 164: from the Daily Mail ('Britain and France. French Cruiser for Muscat. The Traffic in Arms.' 28 November 1912) and from The Daily Telegraph ('France and Muscat: An Unfounded Report', 13 September 1912).

The principal correspondents in the volume include: the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Percy Zachariah Cox; the Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf; the Political Agent at Muscat; the Viceroy; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Sir Edward Grey; the Under Secretary of State, Foreign Office; the French Consul at Muscat; the Residency Agent at Sharjah, Khan Bahadur Sheikh Abdul Latif; HM Consul at Basrah; the First Assistant Resident, Captain R L Birdwood; the Chief of Shargah [Sharjah], Shaikh Sagar bin Khaled.

The volume is part 3 of 7. The part includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, year the subject file was opened, subject heading, and list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence (f 2).