Page 54 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

44 Records of Bahrain

2. I understand that Messrs. Fracis Times complain of the scizuros of their
arms and ammunition at Bushiio, and at Muscat, from thoS. S. " Baluchistan/*
at Bahrein, and arms bound for Bahrein off tho S. 3. “ Trcsco.” Also of tho
prohibition to the export of arms from Muscat to Persian and Indian ports,
by which a large quantity of arms and ammunition belonging to them at Muscat
is locked up at that plnco.
3. As tho seizure iu each caso took placo undor different circumstances, I
think oach should bo dealt with soparaicty.^'In ono respect/ howover, all tho
6oi7.urcs aro alike. They havo all been carried out at tho iustanco of, if not
actually by, tho local territorial authorities, and not, as Messrs. Fracis Times
arc now endeavouring to assort, by the British Government. Messrs. Fracis Timos
nro trying to establish a claim against tho British Government, as they think,
thoy are moro likely to obtain what they ask by doing so, than by bringing a
claim against tho territorial authorities; but, as there is no doubt that tho arms
hrfve, in oach instance, boon confiscated by the territorial authorities and not by
tho British Government, no clnin against the latter should bo entortained, and
tho petitioners should he told that their claim should be ouo for British protection
against tho acts of the territorial authorities.
4. I will now briefly repeat what had beon done at each placo, up to tho
submission of my report, dated tho 22nd March 1898, with any addilioual
information that lias since como to light so os to bring it up to dato.
5. (A) Scizuro at Bushirc. There has been a prohibition for years against
tho importation of urms and ammunition into Persia, and tho various firms
trading to tho placo wore well aware of it. I havo statements from (1) Mr. Wilson,
Manager of tho Bushire Branch of Mossrs. Gray Pauls, who have not touched
the arms traffic, and (2) from Mr. T. Malcolm, a pnrlnor of Malcolm Brothers
who havo imported arms largoly under poriDita from tho Porsian Govornmont,
which go to show that tho prohibition was woll known, and that various
methods wore rosorled to, to keep the traffic .is quiot as possiblo. It is certainly
true that tho local Pcisian authorities couuived at tho evasion, aud in sorao
instances encouraged it; but this is merely a rosult of tho pernicious system by
which tho Governorship and Customs aro farmod out in Persia. A- Govornor
and all his subordinates, haying each and severally purchased their posts, do
all they can to make money during their terms of olfico, and the fact of tho
oxislcnco of a prohibition, such as tho ono against tho arms traffic, is regardod
by venal officials as racroly another means for filling their own pockots by
permitting ils ovasion. This doos not, howover, appear to bo a bar to the
enforcement of its own regulations by tho central Government whenever it
became accessary, though it may, perhaps, bo considered, when tho timo comes,
to decide to what extent wo should allow British firms to suffer from their
connection with the illegal traffic.
6. Mr. J. Muir, of Messrs. Livingstone Muir & Co., a firm who
has traded a good deal in arms, told me, immodiatoly aftor tho seizures at
Bushirc, in December that he and all other importers knew well tho risks thoy
were running, and could not really complain at tho turn things had takeu. Mr.
sa^ would willingly givo cvidouco on tho subject if required, and I
iutended recording bis statement on my return from Muscat in April, but
unfortunately wbon I reached Bushiro on tho 23rd of that mouth, I found him in
? ptutc, and as ho died on tho 26th I was unable to put, what bo told me,
in writing.
7. Abundant evidence will, however, I am suro, bo forthcoming to show
what was done by local officials and importers to conceal tho mngnitudo of tho
traffic from tho cuutral Government and from tho British authorities. That,
tho Persian Government, or, at any rate, soino of tho officials who oomposo it, ^
were aware of the importation of arms scorns most probable, and I havo been
informed that ono Minister actually encouraged it, receiving a cortain commis­
sion for doing so. This will, however, ho difficult to establish, and tho Porsian
Government will probably maintain that, as a Govornmont, tho inuguitudo of
tho tinffio has pnly recently como to official notico.
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