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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 23RD JULY, 1892.

ARTICLE XIII.

Subjects of Her Britannic Majesty shall, as regards their person and property, enjoy within the dominions of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat the rights of exterritoriality.

The authorities of His Highness the Sultan have no right to interfere in disputes with subjects of Her Britannic Majesty amongst themselves, or between them and members of other Christian nations; such questions, whether of a civil or criminal nature, shall be decided by the competent Consular authorities. The trial and also the punishment of all offences and crimes of which British subjects may be accused within the dominions of His Highness the Sultan, also the hearing and settlement of all civil questions, claims, or disputes in which they are the defendants, is expressly reserved to the British Consular authorities and Courts, and removed from the jurisdiction of His Highness the Sultan.

Should disputes arise between subjects of His Highness the Sultan or other non-Christian Power, not represented by Consuls at Muskat, and a subject of Her Britannic Majesty, in which the British subject is the plaintiff or complainant, the matter shall be brought before and decided by the highest authority of the Sultan, or some person specially delegated by him for this purpose. The proceedings and final decision in such a case shall not, however, be considered legal unless notice has been given and an opportunity afforded for the British Consul or his substitute to attend at the hearing and final decision.

ARTICLE XIV.

Subjects of His Highness the Sultan, or any non-Christian nation, not represented by Consuls at Muskat, who are in the regular service of British subjects within the dominions of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat, shall enjoy the same protection as British subjects themselves.

Should they be charged with having committed a crime or serious offence punishable by law, they shall, on sufficient evidence being shown to justify further proceedings, be banded over by British employers, or by order of the British Consul, to the authorities of His Highness the Sultan for trial and punishment.

ARTICLE XV.

Should a subject of Her Majesty residing in the dominions of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat be adjudicated bankrupt, the British Consul shall take possession of, recover, and realize all available property and assets of such bankrupt, to be dealt with and distributed according to the provisions of English Bankruptcy Law.

ARTICLE XVI.

Should a subject of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat resist or evade payment of the just and rightful claims of a British subject, the authorities of His Highness the Sultan shall afford to the British creditor every aid and facility in recovering the amount due to him. In like manner the British Consul shall afford every aid and facility to subjects of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat, in recovering debts justly due to them from a British subject.

ARTICLE XVII.

Should a British subject die within the dominions of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat, or dying elsewhere leave property therein, movable or immovable, the British Consul shall be authorized to collect, realize, and take possession of the estate of the deceased, to be disposed of according to the provisions of English law.

ARTICLE XVIII.

The houses, dwellings, warehouses, and other premises of British subjects, or of persons actually in their regular service within the dominions of His Highness the Sultan of Muskat, shall not be entered, or searched under any pretext, by the officials of His Highness without the consent of the occupier, unless with the cognizance and assistance of the British Consul or his substitute.

ARTICLE XIX.

It is hereby agreed between the two High Contracting Parties that, in the event of an agreement being hereafter arrived at between His Highness the Sultan of Muskat and the various Powers with which His Highness shall be in Treaty relations, including Great Britain, which must be a consenting party, whereby the residents of a district or town shall, without distinction of nationality, be made subject to the payment of local taxes, for municipal and sanitary purposes, the same to be fixed and administered by or under the control of a special Board, nothing contained in this Treaty shall be understood so as to exempt British residents from the payment of such taxes.

ARTICLE XX.

Subjects of the two High Contracting Parties shall, within the dominions of each other, enjoy freedom of conscience and religious toleration, the free and public exercise of all forms of religion, and the right to build edifices for religious worship.

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