IOR/L/PS/12/3937

The file contains papers relating to the defence of Muscat.

It includes papers regarding: the position of the Sultan of Muscat in the event of the outbreak of war (since he was an independent sovereign and therefore his state would not automatically be on the side of the British Empire in war); the conditions under which the Sultan was prepared to grant the necessary facilities (in particular air facilities) in his territories to the British Government during the Second World War, including a monthly subsidy to the Sultan of 20,000 rupees for the duration of the war and for a period after the cessation of hostilities, and the gift of military equipment; and the decision of the British Government to continue the Muscat War Subsidy after the end of the War until the end of 1946, and to present a token gift of arms and ammunition to the Sultan on the termination of the War Subsidy, in recognition of his assistance during the War.

Much of the file concerns the Muscat War Subsidy Agreement, but it also includes papers relating to the appointment of a Military Adviser to the Sultan of Muscat, and the recruitment of a Commandant of the Muscat Infantry.

The papers mostly consist of correspondence, but they also include: India Office internal minute papers; a copy of a paper entitled ‘Appreciation of the Situation Regarding the Defence of Muscat Against Tribal Attack and Sabotage’, by Major R G Price, Air Headquarters, British Forces in Iraq, January 1939, which includes two photographs [IOR/L/PS/12/3937, f 427]; papers of the War Cabinet Official Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East, including minutes of the first meeting of the Committee on 22 September 1939, on the subject of Muscat; a note of a meeting to discuss the Muscat War Subsidy, held at the India Office on 12 February 1946, between representatives of the India Office, the Treasury, the Foreign Office, the Admiralty, the War Office, the Air Ministry, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The main correspondents are as follows: the India Office (and the Commonwealth Relations Office from 1947); the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; the Admiralty Military Branch; the Foreign Office; the War Office; the Government of India External Affairs Department; the Government of India Defence Department; the Sultan of Muscat and Oman (Saiyid Said bin Taimur); the Political Agent and HM Consul, Muscat; the Air Ministry; the Treasury; and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.