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10 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF TIIE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL

offenders. An attempt to introduce twenty-five slaves into Muscat on a French
mail steamer from Aden to Karachi was enquired into at Muscat, and six Arabs,
shown to have been implicated in the matter, were imprisoned by the Sultan.
The lotter to the truoial Chiefs referred to above was followed by the discovery
and release of several Africans in captivity on the Pirato coast. Two men
swam to the steamer Caldcr at Lingah and claimed protection as British
subjects from Aden j they also gave information regarding the whereabouts of
three other Africans in captivity on the Arab coast, One of these has been
since released; the other two are known to bo at Hinjam, and their release will
be insisted on.
On the Persian side the Governor of Bushire, in response to a request from
the Resident, issued orders forbidding the traffic, which was most brisk at
Charak and Kais, the inhabitants of which refused to allow the Deputy Gover­
nor of Lingah to make any enquiries.
The question of the increasing frequency of the importation of raw slaves
into the countries bordering on the Persian Gulf has been brought to the notice
of Government. Many of the ’Omani boats arc said to fly the French flag and
carry French papers, under cover of which they are able to practise their trade
in slaves with impunity, and various suggestions for effectually putting a stop
to the traffic have been made, which will doubtless receive consideration.

10.—ROYAL NAVY VESSELS.
Dl.M.S. 'Mariner left the Gulf in the middle of June and was relieved
at Muscat on the 10th September by H.M.S. Sphinx. Up to that date Com­
mander Arbuthnot was Senior Naval Officer. He was succeeded by Com­
mander Groome, and, on the latter officer’s promotion, he was succeeded by
Commander Hart Dyke.
11.—POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS.
Besides the change in the office of Resident, mentioned at the beginning
of this report, that of First Assistant was filled by Lieutenant Stratton until
his transfer to Bussorah in March 1890. Captain Chenevix-Trench relieved Mr.
G. Lucas, who had held temporary charge, on the 16th August, and was suc-
ceeded by Lieutenant C. A. Kemball on the 26th March 1891.
Surgeon-Major D. R. Ross returned to his post of Residency Surgeon on
the 28th April, his locum tenons, Dr. T. Ffrench-Mullen, proceeding to India.

12.—OBSERVATORY.
The results of the daily observations are embodied in a tabular statement,
marked Appendix C. There was an exceptionally good rainfall in the winter,
and but for the ravages of locusts in some parts, the crops would have been
excellent.
A. C. TALBOT, Major,
Officiating Resident,
Bushire;
The 20th July 189J,

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