Page 122 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

112 Records of Bahrain

Enclosure No. 4.
No. 7, doted Bushiro, the 15th January 1899 (Confidential).
From—Lieutenant-Colonel M. J. Meade, Political ltosidcnt in tho Poreiau Gulf,
To—The Socrctary to the Government of India, Foreign Department,
In continuation of my lotlor No. 87, dated 1st instant, I liavo tho honour
to forward, for tho consideration of tho Government of India, copy of a
lottdr No. 3 G, dated 12th idom, from tho Political Agont, Maskat, regarding
smuggling of arms from Maskat to Bundor Abbas, wliouco tlioro is reason to
boliovo tLoy find thoir way to tho North-West Frontior of India.
2. It is undoubtedly vory dcsirablo to put a stop to this traffic, and I would,
thcroforo, rccommond that a gun-boat may bo kept at Maskat for this purposo,
in addition to tho usual Naval force in tho Porsian Gulf.

No. 3 C., dated Bushiro, the 12th January 1899.
From—Major C. G. F. Fa a an, Political Agent and Ilcr Britanuic Majesty's
Cousul at Maskat,
To—Lieutenant-Colonel M. J. Meade, Political Ilceidcnt in the Persian Gulf.
With rofereuco to tho correspondonco onding with your lettor No. 108,
dated 1st January 1899,1 havo tho honour to report that it has come to my
notice that arms arc being smuggled across in country craft from Maskat to
Bundor Abbas, at which placo thoy aro, I hoar, brought up by Afghan dealors,
and ultimately sold to tho tribos on tho North-West Frontier of India.
2. I havo already pointod* out that, although the rules for registration of
tho purchaso and sale of arms by British
* Vide my doipatch No. 6, dalod I ho 23rd Sopta rabor
1808, to tho Principal Soorotnry of Stato. subjects rccontly introduced into
Maskat sorvo tho purposo of keeping the Agcucy informod of tho diroction
in which arms aro boing sent, they do nothing moro.
If tho traffic is to bo stopped, it can only bo dono by availing oursolvcs
of tho permission accorded to us by tho Sultan of Maskat in January 1897, and
stationing a gun-boat at that port for the purposo of soarching all suspicious
British, Arab and Porsian vessels, and confiscating all arms forming part of
their cargo.
3. As I understand the Governmont of India aro very anxious that
effective mcasuros should bo taken to prevent arms finding thoir way to tho
frontior, I venture to bring this matter to your notice for such action as you
may think necessary.
Enclosure No. 5.
No. 9, dated Bushiro, the 20th January 1899 (Coufidentiol).
From—Lieutenant-Colonel M. J. Meade, Political ltosidcnt in tho Porsian Gulf,
To—The Secrotary to the Government of India, Foreign Dopartment.
In continuation of my loiter No. 7, dated 16th instant, rogarding tho
traffic in. arms and ammunition at prosont carried on botwcon Maskat and
Buuder Abbas, I havo tho honour now to report, for tho information of tho
Government of India, that I havo rocoivcd roliablo information that arms aro
boing takon in fairly largo quantities from Maskat to Kowoit and other ports
both on tho Persian and on tho Arabian 6horcs of tho Porsian Gulf.
2. As regards this importation into Kowoit, it is stated that the freightaso
thonco from Maskat is ono dollar a riflo, that a duty of two dollars por riflo
is levied by the Customs farmer, and that a furthor sum of four dollars is
rocoivod by tho Shoikh of ICowoit on each riflo landod. From Kowoit, it
appoars, tho rifles aro then oxportod by nativo craft, in lots of about 10 riflos
at a timo, to Bunder Dolom, Mashur and Hiudian, placos under Persian juris­
diction, whore duty, at tho rato of ID krans per riflo, is levied by tho Sheikhs of
those places on thoir importation.
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