Page 385 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

AND THE MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 1008. 83

ARMS TRAFFIC—coneld.
Arms and ammunition landed on the Mckran Coast during nine monMi—concld.
Quantity.
Date. Port Whoro landed. RllCABZt.
Rifle*. Ammunition. Revolver*.

Brought forward 13,076 ? 500
1908—contd.

December 7th Baris 600 ?

» 9th Buuji • 400 ?

15 th . Kalat 100 ? • ••
II

27th . Khunarak *00 ?
>i

Total 14,876 ? 600

Compilod from tbe report* received from Telegraph authorise*.
Forty-four slaves took refuge in this Agency during the nine months of M*mnni**ioa
whom 20 were African and 24 Mekranis. Fifteen Africans and 21 Mekranis
were granted manumission certificates while 5 Africans and 3 Mekranis
were found either not entitled to freedom or went back to their masters, with
their own free will and consent.
Thirteen Mekranis came to this Consulate during the period with com­
plaints that their children had been kidnapped. The majority of them
complained against the inhabitants of Shargah and the vicinity and letters
were given them to the Residency Agent, Shargah. Others complained
against the inhabitants of the Batineh Coast and these received letters of
recommendation from His Highness the Sultan to the local Walis.
During the nine months under reference four manumitted slaves were
sent'to Karachi.
On March 15th, the Secretary of State was informed that the Govern- Fi^cha**
ment of India approved the text of the draft proclamation to be issued by the<*U6,liou-
Sultan which had been drawn up, to Bis Highness’s satisfaction, by Major
Grey and the French Consul, Monsieur Laronce.
On June 2nd, the Secretary of State intimated that the French Govern­
ment concurred and desired that the proclamation should be published with­
out delay. Action locally was, however, postponed owing to the regretted
death of the French Consul, Monsieur Blanchon, on June 3rd.
On December 28th, the Political Agent, in accordance with an arrange­
ment made with the French Consul, addressed a formal letter to the Sultan
forwarding a copy of the proclamation for favour of his acceptance and
issue. The Sultan replied expressing his sincere thanks for the assistance
he had received from the British Government in the settlement of the
question and stating'that copies of the proclamation had been sent to Sur for
local distribution.
The matter is thus ended.
M 2