Page 138 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf) 1907-1953

10
imported should bo conliscatod. Jn the year
1893 the local authorities seized seventeen eases
of arms consigned to a Muscat firm, which were
landed at Bushiro for transhipment, on the
ground that complaints had been received from
the Turkish Government of arms being smuggled
from Persian territory. The goods were confis­
cated. In the year 1895 the British steamer
“ Zulu" landed by mistake at the Bushiro
custom-house several eases of arms consigned
to Muscat; these were seized by the local au­
thorities. In January 1897, while the “Zulu”
case waR still pending, tho first preventive officer
was appointed at Bushiro by the Persian Govern­
ment.
Apart from these incidents, there is nothing Sir M. Durand to
Lord Salisbury,
to show that effective measures wero taken to April 15, 1896.
prevent the smuggling of arms, and on the
15th April, 1896, Sir M. Durand, in a despatch
to Lord Salisbury, admitted that thoro could bo
“ little doubt that a considerable illicit import
of arms into Persia iB being carried on, and
that European firms are not wholly unconcerned
in it.”
At the close of 1897, as a result of British Mr. 0. n&rdinge,
pressure, the Persian Government agreed that ']^arry^^!1l828^,
“ in addition to such measures as may be taken
by Persian officials, Her Majesty’s ships should
examine and search all merchant-vessels trading
ill the Persian Gulf, and confiscate and hand over
to the Persian Government all prohibited arms
found on board.” The Grand Vizier’s note of
the 18th December, 1897, in which this Agree­
ment was embodied, further stated that the
Persian Government was ready “ to join with Her
Majesty’s Government in requesting the Sultan
of Muscat to notify in the ports and territories
of Muscat that arms should not be imported
from that side into Persia or Hindustan, also
that English ships should exercise in regard to
search and confiscation tho same rights in
Muscat as in Persian waters.”
The joint representations to the Sultan were
successful, and it was owing to tho conclusion
of an Agreement with Muscat that Her Majesty's
ship “Lapwing” was able, on the 24th January,
1898, to seize the steamer “ Baluchistan,” near
Muscat, and capture the cargo of arms.she was
carrying. An action was brought by Messrs. “Times" tew
Eracis, Times and Co., who had shipped a consign- ^98, and .Jiily 9,
ment of arms by the “ Baluchistan,” against the 1901.