Page 26 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

16 ADMINISTRATION RETORT ON THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL

generally have the cordial support of tho Mullahs, the Customs Administration
is still very unpopular.
Thus when in February 190G tho Director-General prohibited tho landing
of cargo from native coasting boats at private wharves as had previously been
the custom, an appeal to the Uluma was at once made, and on this occasion tho
latter were able to induce tho Direotor-Gcneral to cancel tho ordor, on tho
boatmen agreeing to discharge their cargo in the presence of a customs official.
The fact is that the introduction of the now tariff has given an enormous
impetus to smuggling, with which it is impossible for the Customs Adminis­
tration, as at present equipped, to compete effectively, and any Director who
attempts to do so with too much persistence, especially in reference to tho armB
traffic, naturally makes himself anathema to the nativo element.
The result of this ubiquitous smuggling is that tho customs import
revenue at Bushire is gradually diminishing and the only effective remedy
would be a return to an all round 6 per cent, tariff to escape which native craft
would net find it worth while running much risk.
In October 1905 tbc inland Customs Bureaux at Daliki on the Bushire-
Shiraz road, and Godar-Balutak on the Ahwaz-Ispahan, road were abolished
at the instance of the Residency and His Majesty’s Legation.
The smuggling of arms from Maskat to the coast of Fars and Persian
Mekrau has continued to flourish in spite
Arms Traffic.
of all efforts made to check it. The
present Director-General of Customs, Monsieur Heynssens, has, I believe, done
his utmost to contend with the traffic and specific information received of
consignments of arm9 going across from Maskat has been at once communi­
cated to him; hut at present he is not adequately equipped' for coping with the
determined resistance generally offered by the smugglers who are invariably
assisted by the villagers on shore. Furthermore, it is impossible to expeot
petty native officials even if honest to do their duty fearlessly when located in
isolated places, at the mercy of local inhabitants, who only tolerate their
presence as long as they remain innocuous and merely ornamental.
Thus at the small Tangistan port of Kari, in May 1905, a representative
of the customs who had been deputed to investigate a case of arms smuggling
vras flogged and expelled by the inhabitants, and on the Jilozaffer proceeding
to the locality to his assistance, she was unable to take any action as the
natives who were well armed would not allow anyone to approach the shore.
On another occasion, in December 1905, a customs sailing-boat containing
a Mudir and four tofangebis was despatched from Lingab to intercept a boat
from Maskat of whose departure from the latter port tho Customs Authorities
had been warned by the Residency. The boat fell in with the Dhow but was
fired on and had a man wounded, and failed to prevent the Dhow from
running ashore and partially landing her cargo. In the meantime the
JHozaffer arrived with the Director of Customs, aDd as soon as she appeared
the smugglers decamped to the hills with what rifles they had managed to land.
The Deputy Director, however, followed them and succeeded in unearthing
some of the arms which bad been buried ; 85 rifles, 15,000 cartridges and 7
revolvers being recovered in all.
I mention these two instances to demonstrate the difficulties with which
the customs at present have to contend, hut it is hoped that the employment
of the five sea-going launches which the Government of India are having cons­
tructed at the Bombay Dockyard for the Persian Government and which ^ arc
shortly expected to arrive will assist the Customs Administration materially
in the suppression of the traffic.
The export of the following commodities was placed under embargo
Embargo*. at different times during the year:
Grain.—From tho ports of the Persian Gulf from 17th December 1905
up to the end of the year.
Ghi.—From 4th October to the end of the year. The customs
that the export of lambskins would not be permitted after 3rd January .LIHJo,
but as a matter of fact tbe embargo was not actually imposed until after tnc
close of tbe year under report.