Page 428 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

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in the Sultan of Zanzibar's own steamers. Large quantities of these arms had
been sold to people belonging to Bahrein, Koweit, and other Gulf, ports on the
Arab coast, who had shipped them to their respective ports. The Sultan of
Maskat asserted that no arms found their way back to Africa in Gulf dhows, but
Colonel Talbot was not inclined to place much reliance on what the Sultan said in
this respect.
17. The Sultan was averse to Her Majesty's ships searching dhows carrying
his colors, and as under Article VII of the new Treaty with Maskat the ’importa­
tion of arms could not be prevented, any further prohibition must, in Colonel
Talbot’s opinion, be enforced at Zanzibar, should the Sultan’s proclamation prove
insufficient.
Colonel Talbot suggested that in theory it might be possible to prevent this
smuggling by inviting the Sultan of Maskat, the Trucial Chiefs, and Bahrein to
adhere to the principles of the Brussels Conference.
18. In accordance with the views expressed by the Political Agent, Maskat,
and the Resident in the Persian Gulf, the Secretary of State was informed on
the 23rd August, 1892, that the apprehensions of Her Majesty’s Agent and
Consul-General at Zanzibar were regarded as not borne out by the facts, and that
this opinion was based upon the present great demand for firearms in the Gulf
Ports, and considered that as long as that demand continued, no danger was
likely to arise from the importation of arms to Maskat, or from their accumula-
tion there. It was suggested that since the importation of arms could not be
prevented at Maskat, any further measures for checking the trade should be
taken, if possible, at Zanzibar.
Importations to Maskat from Zanzibar, 1892.

19. On the 7th August, 1892, the Political Agent, Maskat, reported, for
information, that the Sultan of Zanzibar’s
Pro., External A., October 1892, Nos. steamer “ Swordsman ” had arrived there
41—42. Qn uitjmo wjth 12 cases contain­
ing 367 firearms, consigned to a Khoja British subject at Maskat.
License issued by the Bombay Government for the export of certain
arms to Baghdad, 1891. Issue of a notification for future guidance.

20. On the 14th December, 1891, the Bombay Government intimated that
they had issued a license for the export
Pro. External A., December 1892, to Baghdad of certain arms and ammuni-
Nos. 31—39- t|on consigned to the Russian Consulate at
that place. In stating that in the present case the license had been granted free
of charge and without the usual permit, the instructions of the Government of
India as to the procedure to be followed in future similar cases, were solicited, it
being pointed out that while the issue of licenses within the political jurisdiction
of the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf was authorised, the case of export
to a port in Turkish Arabia was not provided for. The Resident in Turkish
Arabia — to whom the matter was referred — stated that he saw no objection
to the issue of such licenses provided that the guns were sporting shot guns and
not intended for sale, but for the private use of the exporter.
As a result, the following notification issued :—

Notification.
_ u In exercise of the powers conferred by clause («) of the additional rule under, the
Indian Arms Act (XI of 1878), published in the Notification by the Government of'India in
No. 4217-1, dated Simla, the io;h November the Home Department, No. 1905 of the 15th Sep-
,J92- tember 1902, the Governor-General in Council is
pleased specially to empower the Secretary to the Government of Bombay, in the Political
Department to.grant licenses to export, by sea, sporting shot guns, machinery for manufac­
turing ammunition for the same (including machines for loading and recapping cartridges),
cartridge cases, and percussion caps, not.’ tended for sale or for military purposes, but for
the private use of the consignee, to ports v 'thin the political jurisdiction of the Political
Resident in Turkish Arabia."

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