Page 133 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf) 1907-1953

5
112,338/.° per annum, and yielding a customs
rovcnuc of 5,G17/. per annum ?
(b.) How will it be possible to provide efficient
machinery for carrying out the provisions of the
Act, without admitting a system of inter­
national control inconsistent with the main­
tenance of the present political predominance of
Great Britain ?
The control of the arms traffic would pre­
sumably be vested in the Sultan’s Customs
Department. There is thus afforded an additional
argument in favour of the Government of India’s
proposals,! ronowed during tbo present year,
that they should acquire tho control of the
Customs Administration of Muscat, guaranteeing
the Sultan a minimum income of 20,000 dollars
per mensem (25,000/. per annum at the rate of
exchange current in 1907). It has been suggested
Viceroy's that a suitable compensation to the Sultan for the
telegram of
February 13, 1908. loss of income entailed by the prohibition of the
arms traffic would be to double the present
subsidy he receives from Indian rovenues (5,76»>/.
per annum), and to raise it gradually, as may bo
necessary, to 15,000/. per annum. It is to be
feared that if other Powers contribute towards
the compensation paid to His Highness, they will
obtain a locus standi for interference in the Muscat
Customs Administration, which would constitute
a serious disturbance of tho status quo.
Government of 2. Bahrein.—On the 30th April, 1898, the
India’s letter of
July 7, 1898. Sheikh of Bahrein, on the advice of the Resident
in the Persian Gulf, agreed “absolutely to pro­
hibit tbo importation of arms into Bahrein
territory or exportation therefrom ”; and to
enforce the prohibition, he issued on the same
day—
(I.) A Notification declariug that the import
and export of arms into and from the Islands of
Bahrein was absolutely forbidden, and that in
future all arms and ammunition imported or
exported would be seized aud confiscated as
property of tho State.
(2.) A Proclamation conferring on British and
Porsinn vessels of war permission to search vessels
• Value of imports of arms and ammunition in 1906-7;
6,617/. represents 5 per cent, (tbo amouut of the customs
duty at Muscat) on this sum.
t See pp. 14, 15 of Foroign Office Memorandum of the
12th February, 1908.
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