Page 248 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

106 PERSIAN GULP ADMINISTRATION REPORT

imports, tho orders of Jlis Highness tlio Sultan and the Shaikh of £u .
account for tho larger portion. vai*
In tho month of August, orders were received by tho Political Agent
tho French Consul from their respective Governments directing that ^
inventory of all French arms in privato warehouses and tho Stato Warehou^
should bo taken, that the arms contained in the private warehouses should K*
locked up therein and placed under the official seals of both Consuls. ThCae
instructions were carried out and stocks to tho approximate value of £5959,4
according to tho French estimate and £42,937 according to the British estimate
were inventoried and placed under seal. Tho result of these measures was to
withdraw from circulation, so to speak, arms to tho value of £33,000 or over
Tho French merchants announco that the negotiations regarding compensation
for these stocks withdrawn have reached a successful conclusion, but no official
corroboration of this statement has been received.
In the month of October, the ill-considered export from tho State 'Ware-
house of a large consignment of cartridges to tho Bani Bu Ali tribe at Sur
before tho usual shipping documents had been received and in defiance of the
regulations, led to serious consequences for the chief delinquent, as in the
month of December, His Highness the Sultan consented, after pressure, to the
deportation and banishment of Ali Musa Khan the notorious Baluch arms
trader, for a period of five years. The consignment of cartridges alluded to was
hip property and there was no doubt that it was at his instigation that His
Highness had consented to give peremptory directions to his Superintendent to
allow this flagrant breach of tho regulations. The prompt and stern remons-
trances of the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, who was then at Maskat,
led to the immediate recall and re-deposit in the Warehouse of the cartridges
in respect of which the breach of regulations had been committed, and in view
of the prompt reparation made by His Highness Saiyid Taimur, the Govern­
ment of India were pleased to overlook his conduct and that of the
Superintendent who, it is only fair to say, had done his best to withstand the
pressure put upon him, but it was insisted that an example should be made
of the chief offender.
The banishment of this notorious arms trader has undoubtedly served to
inspire all arms traders with a wholesome respect for the regulations of the State
Warehouse and transactions with the Warehouse have practically ceased since
his departure. It seems certain that the returns of the Maskat arms traffic will
show an even greater diminution in the coming year and that the importance
of Maskat as a distributing centre for this traffic will disappear.
A comparative statement of prices for 1912-13 is attached. It naturally
shows an enormous increase in the price of all goods of this description, but the
figures are to this extent fallacious that* with the Warehouse Regulations, it
would be difficult to find buyers, and a seller who based his estimates on these
prices, would undoubtedly, be disappointed. Buyers, on the contrary, would
have to submit to these extortionate prices.
The public health has been, on the whole, good. In the month of December
Public Health, Hospital aud Quarantine. Outbreak ofsmaU-poXin
Matrah. The Agency Hospital was open
for the public and the number of patients treated during the 12 months 1*
6,017, the daily average being 40*28.
The quarantine arrangements under the Agency Surgeon have worked
well during the year.
Two pilgrim ships called at Maskat during the year. Arrangements on
board the ships were found satisfactory
Pilgrim*.
and therefore no trouble was experienced
His Highness* Customs management remained in the hands of Abouj
Karim up to tho 3rd of December. u
Customs and Lam ding.
the 4th December, Abdul Karim *
charged with violating the Maskat Arms Warehouse rules and, o®1.®
a British subject, was sentenced by the Political Agent to undergo 6 113011
rigorous imprisonment. From the 4th till tho end of the year the mawT
jn$nt of tho Customs was in the hands of Salim Bin Abdulla al h-auR*

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