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JPOR TUB YBAR 1015.

APPENDIX II.
The Arms Traffic in tlio Persian Gulf during the year 1015.
The almost complete collapse of the Arms Traffic in the Persian Gulf, which took place
during tho latter part of tho year 1914, was maintained throughout the year under report.
No Naval or Military preventive measures were taken during this period and the only
means of supervision in th's connection was that carried out by Police Constables, one of whom,
travelled on board each mail steamer plying in tho Gulf, in addition to their, other duties which
were in connection with the Police at Basrah.
On the other hand the same system of Tntellierence has been maintained and landings
reported as heretofore. These landings have been exceptionally few and of minor importance.
The large body of Afghans which arrived LnMakran during the winter of 1914-15 went
away practically empty-handed. What little success they achieved was in obtaining a few old
pattern weapons bought mostly from the inhabitants of Persian Baluchistan and to a very
small extent a belter pattern from Bafcinah, Debai and Qatar by a few of the more enterprising
members of the party who proceeded to these places by boat.
It 6eeras clear that the stocks of arms on the Batinah, Trucial and Qatar coasts of the
Gulf are finished and that whatever munitions remain at Kuwait will be, if it is not already
the case, absorbed locally.
To state, however, that the Arms Traffic in the Persian Gulf is dead would not be quite in
conformity with facts. As was pointed out in tie “ Report on the Arms Traffic in the Persian
Gulf during lyj4M one of the likely means of obtaining arms in the future would be from
the Arab tribes in Mesopotamia. It appears feasible that those living in the rear of the
advancing troops coaid be induced to pari with their own rifles and would also be in a position
to gather arms from a battlefield and hide them until such time as they could be safely
disposed of.
That some such procedure h.xsbeen adopted seems evident from the fact that Turkish
rifles are now m the possession of certain Balueh tribesmen and a small quantity ot these
weapons with ammunition was captured on board a mail £ Earner at Maskat being brought
from Mohammerah to Pasni for transport inland.
Another source of supply which must be taken into consideration is the large quantity of
arms brought into Persia by the Germans via Kermaushah and elsewhere, and by ourselves.
When Persia, and Southern Persia in particular, becomes a more settled and well-ordered
country it would seem that there is a danger of these arms finding their way over the border
unless some system is adopted whereby tbe disposition of arms is controlled. Lack of
ammunition and a superabundance of rifles in Persia would tend to induce the possessors of the
jatter to part with them to the highest bidder.
It seems reasonable to assume also that the Afghans, finding their source of supply in the
Persian Gulf cut off, will shortly make endeavours to exploit Persia and give good prices for
these rifles which are of the type that they require, especially those Service weapons imported
by us, and thus a recrudescence of traus-rrontier trade in arms will appear.
Baudab Abbas ; £. C. WITHERS, Lizutbnaxt, R. I. M.,
The 10th April 1916. } Intelligence Officer, Persian Gulf.

Deport by Mr. F. Pin sent, Assistant Superintendent, Jask Sub-Division, Indo-European
Telegraph Department, dated Char bar, the let July 1915, tn connection with the importa­
tion of arms into the Mekran during the half-year ending the 30th June 1916.
The patrol and telephone establishment has been maintained on the same scale as that
of the previous half yepj and occasional cash presents given to people interesting themselves
on our behalf.
The half-year under report has been noted for the large number of Afghan traders who,
without previous intimation of their movements being received, arrived at different places
in the Mekran in search of arms. It was reported from several telephone stations and
confirmed through various sources that, early m January, the Afghan caravans totalled
approximately 6u0 men scattered oyer Bint,’ Fanuch, Gaih and Kasserkand districts. The
parties ouickly got to work and information of their movements in the Karwan district and
other places was received a few weeks later. I addressed both the subsidised Chiefs, Sudan
Saiyid and Islam Khan, but could get no satisfactory reply from cither, each chief blamed
the other for harbouring the Afghans. 8Lrdar Islam Khan later on acknowledged the presenoe
J*,a tow individual Afghans at Bint, he said they were there to pay their respects to tb«
~~halifa, but at the same time he was taking precautions to have them watched and had.
warned the headmen of the ports in his district to see that no assistance was given by tb§