Page 442 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

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into the countries adjacent to India, the Government of India trusted that His
Excellency would cause such measures to be adopted as would prevent the
issue of the ammunition from Her Majesty’s ships to any person in the Persian
Gulf unable to produce the written authority of the Resident to possess such
ammunition.
Acting on this intimation, the Admiral issued stringent orders to prevent
the possibility of such irregularities occur-
Pro., Secret E., May 1899, No. 96.
ring in future.
Rules and Regulations for the Registration of Arms and Ammuni­
tion at Maskat amended, 1899.
46. It was found in practice that British subjects were able to evade the
existing rules and regulations for the
Pro., Secret E., June 1899, Nos. 3—6.
registration of arms and ammunition at
Maskat by appointing Arab subjects as their sub-agents for the sale of arms.
The same procedure was adopted by all the principal dealers in arms, with the
result that the regulations became absolutely inoperative. Writing to the
Secretary of State on the 7th April, .1899, the Political Agent, Maskat, submitted
an amended draft of the rules and regulations, in supersession of those already
sanctioned. The proposed amendments are printed below in italics :
I.
Every subject of Her Majesty, who either on his own behalf or in the
capacity of Agent Jor any other person or firm now or hereafter .has or become
possessed of any arms or ammunition in the dominions of the Sultan of Maskat,
or who imports any arms or ammunition into the said dominions or who is
concerned directly or indirectly in such importation, shall without unreasonable
delay furnish to Her Majesty’s Consul at Maskat a true and complete list and
description of all such arms-and ammunition, provided always that no owner, or
■master, or agent of a vessel in which arms or ammunition is imported into the
'said dominions, shall, by reason of such importation be deemed to be directly or
indirectly concerned in the importation of such arms or ammunition for .the
purposes of these rules and regulations.
Such lists and descriptions shall be in such form as the said Consul may,
from time to time, require.
II.
Every subject of Her Majesty who sells or otherwise parts with any arms
or ammunition in the dominions of the Sultan of Maskat, or who benefits directly
or indirectly by such sale or transfer as aforesaid, shall, without unreasonable
delay, furnish to Her Majesty’s Consul at Maskat a true and correct statement
showing the number of arms or amount of ammunition sold or parted with, and
the name and address of the person or persons to whom 1 the said arms or
ammunition have been transferred, such statements shall be in such form as the
said Consul may, from time to time, require.
Her Majesty's Consul shall be the sole judge as to what constitutes un­
reasonable delay in furnishing such list and description or such statement, as
aforesaid and of the liability or otherwise under these rules and regulations
of any of Her Majesty1s subjects to furnish the same.
Report on the attachment of arms at Bahrein in January, 1898.

47. Regarding the attachment of arms at Bahrein, in January, 1898, Colonel
Meade forwarded the following memo­
Secret E„ July 1899, Nos. 94—248.
randum in November, 1898.
The claims of Messrs. Fracis, Times are set
No. 199 in Seertt E„ July 1899, No». 94-248.
forth in their letters noted in the margin.