Page 494 - PERSIAN 2C 1890_1899_Neat

16 ADMINISTRATION RETORT ON THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL
that an attempt wns being made .by the Sultan to levy exorbitant taxes on the
fish yards owned by them, and suggesting that the taxes should be reduoed by
two-thirds.
Personal enquiries made by me on the spot showed that the com plaints of
the owners of the fish-yards were well founded,, and that the taxes which it
was sought to levy were out of all proportion to the profits made by these
individuals, 6ome of whom had already closed their yards in consequence of its
imposition.
On the matter being represented to the Sultan, His Highness was at first
indisposed to make any change, but ultimately he was induced to agree to the
proposed reduction.
In January 1898, the Sultan agreed to co-operate with the British and
Persian Governments in the suppression of the illegal importation of arms into
Persia and British India and issued a proclamation on the 13th of the same
month authorizing British and Persian vessels of war to search, in Maskat
waters, vessels carrying the flags of the British, Persian, and Maskat Govern­
ments, and confiscate arms and ammunition found in them intended for Persian
and British Indian ports.
The Political Resident in the Persian Gulf visited Maskat in June in the
R. I. M. S. Lawrence, and again in January in the same vessel.
The quarantine imposed by His Highness the Sultan of Maskat on account
of the prevalence of plague in Bombay and Karachi, remained in force through­
out the year. It was reduced to five days in June, but in consequence of the
recent recrudescence of plague at Karachi, it was agaiu increased to eigfitdays.
The measure was effective aud kept the disease out of the country.
The tide-gauge which was erected in February 1893, was dismantled in
March by Mr. Belcham, the Extra Assistant Superintendent, Survey o-f India
Department.
In August 1897, a collision occurred between the Bombay and Persia
Steam Navigation Company’s steamer
Marine.
Mobile and an Arab dhow from Sur
which resulted in the latter being sunk. All hands were saved hv the boats of
the blobile. The owner of the dhow brought an action against the Bombay
and Persia Steam Navigation Company, but the enquiry showed t&at the
accident was caused by the negligence of the Nakhoda in not taking the
ordinary and proper precautions to avoid such an accident.
The following men-of-war visited MaskatH. M. S. Led breads Pigeon,
Sphinx, Lapicingt and Ccswr/7;.
The Indian Government Telegraph steamer Patrick Sfetoonf visited
Maskat with Mr. Flinch, the Director-in-Chief of the io&o-Eiiiroipeaa Tele­
graphs, on board.
Foreign Navies were represented by the French gun-boa-t G-ates.
During the year 43 fugitive slaves took refuge in fcbe GoEsuJate. Of these
34 were freed under the ‘treaty stipula­
Slave Trade.
tions of 1873, and the rest 4iamssed, not
being entitled to freedom.
Commanders Baker of H. M. S. Sphinx and Carr of H. M. -S. Lapwing*
liberated, respectively, under the Brussels Conference Act, 3 and 5 Ares who
had taken refuge on board the vessels under their command.
In July, the Residency Agent at Lingah was directed by the Political
Resident in the Persian Gulf to send to this Consulate two Africans tf-nom the
Batineh who had taken refuge at the Lingah Agency and who had been kid­
napped by two Arabs. The Arabs made their escape on their way to Maskat,
and the Africans who could identify them having also absconded on -acrival at
Maskat, the case was allowed to drop.
The long standing case of the seven Africans which gave rise to volu­
minous correspondence was brought to a close by the release of the three
surviving Africans, one of whom, by name Saadu, elected to return Africa ;
while the other two, named Seyanoo and Juma, elected to set/iile it-d Maskat.