Page 121 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

British interests and influence, 1898-1904 Ill

3. Mr. Justico Bighara in his Judgment expresses himsolf satisfied that
tho only object Fracis Times had in obtaining from tho ship-ownor the option
to laud tho goods at Mashat, was to enable thorn to avail themselves of cither
market, Maslcat or JJushirc, wkichovcr might bo more advantageous.
This may or may not bo truo in a sonso, but ncithor Fracis Times, nor any
ono olsc concerned in the arms trado, ovor supposos that their arms aro sold to
tho pcoplo of this side. They aro fully awaro that Maskat is only a dop6t and
that nearly all tho arms disposed of boro aro purchased by merchants rosiding
at Bundor Abbas, Lingah and other Persian ports and smuggled across in
small Native craft to thoso places as opportunity oiTors. For instance, during
tho lato insurrection at Lingah, thorc was a brisk trado in arms done in
Maskat by Persian traders coming over and purchasing arms hero and taking
thorn across in bughlas to Lipgah.
4. The valuo of Fracis Timos, stock of arms at Maskat is about £ 3,000
and not £ 9,000 as valued by them—vide Sir A. Godld'J^TcCCerT^U'h'd valTlo"
has novor exceeded .C 4,000 during tho yoar 1898.
Maskat. (Sd.) C. G. F. Faoan,
The 8th December 1898. } Political Agent, Maskat.

Extract from a letter from Major Melville, Officiating Rosident, Turkish Arabia, to
Zieulcnatil-Coloucl M. J. Meade, Political Resident, Persian Gulf, dated Baghdad,
the 5th December ISOS.
In continuation of my domi-oflicial letter of tho 28th ultimo, regarding
tho import of arms into Turkish Arabia, I now send you tho result of llamsay’s
onquirics in tho matter. He says—“ I have found out all I can about tho
importation of arms into Turkish territory, and it appears that thoy aro only
smuggled in at intervals, and then in small quantities at a time. Such arras
enter tho country from tho Persian frontier and not from tho Kowoit side.
Tho traffic of tho samo in this country docs not appear to mo to encourage any­
body in attempting to import them on a largo scalo, and they constitute merely
tho overflow of what is now brought up tho Bahmeshir rivor.”

Dated Bunder Abbas, the 23rd December 1608 (Confidential),
From—K. Uasiud-ud-dih, Civil Assistant Surgeon,
To—Tho First Assistant to tho Political Rcsidont in tho Persian Gulf, Bushirc.
In coinplianco with porsonal instructions from Captain F. B. Pridcaux,
when he last visited Bunder Abbas, I havo been investigating about tho arms
traffic in Bunder Abbas.
1. I havo been informed that one Tikam Hoop Wali llam, a British
subject, has in his possession now somo rifles and pistols for. sale, and that ho
does business with Afghans from Indian frontier, who oamo hero in this season.
Probably this man and some other British subjocts, who havo business
with tho Afghans and act as their brokers, deal in liro-arms and soil them to
tho Afghans and Porsians from the interior.
2. I have boen also informed that last year Mr. Azar Bagdassar, tho
Agent of British India Steamship Company at Bunder Abbas, had somo now"
rifles and pistols for sale, and that ho sold them to one John or Javed Yazdi a
Nativo Christian of Yezd. Tho lattor who was convortcd by one of tho brothers
Zwomor, and somotimos sorved as interpreter in ono of Her Britannic Majesty's
mon-of-wnr, now-n-days imports firo-arms in tho intorior of Porsia. This John
Yazdi lately arrived hero from tho intorior, and, leaving his horses and servants
at Bundor Abbas, had gone to Bushiro or Busrnk.
>/r 1 3* ScroC, nG—V Suleiman, Saiyid Abdul IVuim aud Hail
Muhammad Sharif, son of Hnji Jaafar, also traffio in live-arms. J
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