IOR/L/PS/10/239

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:

• new regulations to prevent the sale of arms in Muscat without the knowledge of the end-user;
• French schemes to evade the Sultan of Muscat's regulations by trans-shipment;
• proposals for the compensation of French arms dealers and the different views of the Treasury, Government of India and the Foreign Office thereon;
• Anglo-French diplomacy and proposed purchase of stocks at Muscat and Jibuti;
• value of weapons stock held in the Warehouse and disposals of the stocks after compilation of inventory.

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 includes two statistical tables, 'Inventory of arms and ammunition in French Private Warehouses in Maskat' (ff 230-232; 236-237).

The volume is part 6 of 7. Each 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.