IOR/L/PS/10/238

This part of 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:

• the suspension of the Sultan's regulations pending arbitration and the Foreign Office's response to a French proposal;
• French schemes to evade the Sultan of Muscat's regulations by trans-shipment;
• amendment for rule 5 of the Muscat Warehouse regulations;
• Anglo-French diplomacy and proposed cession of territory in neighbourhood of Pondicherry;
• value of weapons stock held in the Warehouse and disposals of the stocks after compilation of inventory;
• negotiations with the French over compensation and agreement concluded on 14 February 1914 through an exchange of notes;
• arrangements to delay publication of agreement until after elections in France;
• enquiry from Belgian Ministries concerning the Brussels Conference 1908-09;
• the French 'Yellow Book' on the Muscat Arms Traffic Question (ff 72-107);
• the request by the French Consul for permission for Menache, a French arms dealer to ship a portion of arms and ammunition in the Muscat warehouse to Europe or Djibouti;
• discussions between the Foreign Office and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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 Ambassador to France, Sir Francis Bertie; the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty; Commander-in-Chief, East Indies; the Board of Trade; the Colonial Office.

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