Page 242 - PERSIAN 4 1890_1899

12 ADMINISTRATION REPORT ON THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL
asking for help in tL way of ammunition which was rofusod. The 8ardars
were later summoned to Bunder Abbas; but Mir Abdun Nabi having been
attacked en route and a fight ensuing, in which a few were killed, refused to
continue his journey, and was subsequently deprived of his authority. The
subsidy allowed by the Telegraph, for the protection of their lino, was conse­
quently transferred to Mir Haji Yusuf, whose appointment had been intimated.
The long continued grievances of the exaction of dues in transit between
Bunder Abbas and Kerman, on goods which had already paid the full duty at
the port of entry, was at last redressed. A refund, in one case, was obtained
through Her Britannic Majesty’s Legation at Teheran; in others, repayments
appear to have been made through the local authorities, and the complaints on
this score have ceased.
8ome difficulties in connection with the escape of fugitive Kind slaves to
Gwadur and their deportation thence continued, and threats, and even violence
were resorted to by the owners. A slave belonging to two brothers was kid­
napped after many years* residence at Gwadur, and it was only after the stop­
page of the subsidy enjoyed by one of the brothers from the Telegraph, that the
man was freed. One Din Muhammad Rind proceeded to far greater lengths
in the way of reprisal, and seized an Indian bunntah, whom he carried off from the
road between Pasni and Gwadur. He also seut messages, threatening further
acts of violence in retaliation for the deportation of his escaped slaves. The
bunniah was released after a month or two, on the security, it is said, of another
Rind.
A telegraph station was re-established at Gwadur as a combined post and
telegraph office; the telephone, which had been tried, having been found to
be a failure.
11.—SLAVE TRADE.
There were several cases of importing and dealing in slaves on the Arab
coast. A fine was imposed on the Chief of Ras-el-Khymah for his neglect of
treaty obligations in respect of an attempted importation of slaves into his ter­
ritory from the Maskat coast.
In one case, in which eight negroes were captured from a vessel wrecked on
the south coast of Arabia and enslaved by their Bedouin captors, His Highness
the Sultan of Maskat acted most promptly and energetically and succeeded in
rescuing five.
There were a few cases of importation of new slaves on the south coast of
Persia; in most cases the slaves were traced and given their freedom.
Two slaves took refuge in the Residency at Bushire and two in the Lingah
Agency. At each place one was manumitted, and the other not coming under
the provisions of the treaty was restored to the local authorities, under promises
of future good treatment by the masters.

12.—ROYAL NAVY VESSEL8.
In April H. M. S. Sphinx proceeded to India od relief by H. M. 8.
Pigeon, and returning in May resumed her duties on this station.
In October H. M. 8. Lapioing relieved H. M. 8. Sphinx, remaining till
November, when she returned to Maskat and.was relieved by H. M. 8.
Sphinx.
13.—OBSERVATORY.
The results of the daily observations are recorded in a tabular statement
marked Appendix A.
F. A. WILSON, Colonel,
Political Resident, Persian Oulf.