Page 65 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

British interests and influence, 1898-1904 55

which may roach the eyes of the authorities at tho port of destination*
they have frequently either concealed or misrepresented tho facts. A
largo proportion of the arms and ammunition exported to tho Persian
Gulf is made in [Belgium, where Messrs. Fracis Times obtained a
portion of their shipments by the “ Baluchistan," and tho other ships
which preceded it; and although tho barrels may have been sent over
to Birmingham to be proved they were returned to Liege to bo made
up. As to tho ammunition, it is significant that a leading firm of
Birmingham manufacturers, Messrs. ICynooh, sent in a written protest,
dated Toth .February last, against the practice resorted to by shippers
to the Gulf, of exporting Belgian ammunition as if it were British.
Steps have now been taken by the Customs authorities, in the issue of a
notice, dated 2Gth February 1898, to prevent in future the misdescription
of explosives of Foreign origin as if they wero of British origin. But a
more serious and common class of misrepresentation may bo illustrated
by two complaints, which tho seizure of tho very arms now under
discussion on board tho “ Baluchistan ” has brought to light. As a
rule, secrecy has been aimed at by not giving tho namo of the consignees
in the returns given to the Customs authority. But on somo occasions
when this omission has been made a matter of comment, false names of
consignees have been supplied. Thus, when tho arms carried by tho
Baluchistan ” were seized, an Indian subject of Her Majesty trading :
at Maskat, named Gopalji Walji, found that no less than 33 eases of
arms made in Belgium, but sent by that ship, wore consigucd to him,
and tho Bills of Lading wero mado out accordingly. Ho, however,
denied all knowledge of the transaction. In the same way a firm in
Minciug Lane consigned 236,000 cartridges to Messrs. Gray, Paul & Co.,
of Bushirc, in whose name tho bills of ontry wore mado out. Tho
consignees, howevor, have formally denied that thoy had ever been
ougaged in tho arms traffic, and repudiated tho transaction.
9. It is perhaps unnecessary to detail other instances of concealment
and misdescription .which have como to notico. Special inquiries into
tho practico of the trade wero instituted beforo tho assistance asked for
by the territorial authorities iu tho Gulf was granted. Thoir result
led to tho inference that, howevor ignorant tho Birmingham and Belgian
manufacturers might bo of the maunor in which their goods were dis­
posed of, the shippers and exporters must have been fully alivo to the
risks they ran, and that thoy accordingly resorted to numerous devices
to conceal tho destination of their exports, and oven in some eases ;;
to conceal tho character of the goods carried undor the name of
“ Hardware.’*
10. In conclusion, I am to offer the following general remarks
regarding British interests in the suppression of this trade. Messrs.
Fracis Times, in their statement dated 7th March 1898, montion 3,800
rifles, besides ammunition, seized in their go-downs in Bushire, arms
and ammunition of tho value of 12,000/. slorling soized nt their dopdt
on Bahrein, and 700/. worth of arms soized on hoard tho “ Baluchistan,”
independently of a stock of arms at Maskat which they value at 9,000/.
If these operations of a single firm of Parsoo and British partners
represent at all tho magnitude of tho trado in Bolgian and British arms
which other firms arc conducting, tho matter becomes ono of most
serious importance. In the first placo, such a traffic is endangering
legitimate British trado in otlior commodities with tho interior. Serious
complaints have been received of tho insecurity of tho trade routes in
Persia, especially in Southorn Persia. Her Majesty’s Minister at Tehran
in his letter of the 27th of Juno last, ropoats tho opinion expressed by
liis predecessor in these torms“ There can bo no doubt whatever
“ that tho wholesale importation of arms of precision iuto Persia is
dangerous to tho peace of tho country, and consequently injurious to
. ” our trade. From other parts of tho Gulf the samo injury to trado is
reported. In tho case of the piratical attack on tho sailing vessel
Kahanpasa, committed on tho 2nd Docomber noar Saihau poiut iu