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that the arms should be given back to the firm on the understanding that they
should be taken out of the Gulf.
It was further suggested that as it was likely that Messrs. Fracis, Times
& Co. would endeavour to sell their arms, if released from Bahrein, at Koweit,
an officer should be sent to Koweit to enquire into the arms trade there with a
view to some arrangement being made with the Chief.
In discussion it was shown that we could not prevent the Sheikh from hand­
* Secret E., July 1898, Nos. 43a—*469, ing over the arms to Messrs. Fracis, Times
No. 464. if he desired to do so : the agreement •
by which he bound himself to prohibit the
importation of arms into Bahrein or exportation thereform was entered into by
him three months after the seizure of the arms, and could hardly be regarded as
binding him to prevent the exportation of arms which he had been forcibly detain­
ing from a date anterior to the prohibition. We were at liberty to advise the
Sheikh, however, that, having regard to that argument and to the actual terms
of the concession granted to Messrs. Fracis Times in which it was stipulated that
the concessionaire " should not sell guns to the people of Bahrein, Katr and the
Arab Coast,” he would be well advised to hand over the arms to Messrs. Fracis
Times only on condition that they promised to abide by the terms of the original
concession. This would prevent the latter from disposing of the arms anywhere
in the Gulf, for if they attemped to land them on the Persian Coast we could
seize them in virtue of our agreement with Persia.

Agreement with the Sheikh of Koweit prohibiting the arms traffic,
May 1900.
63. The Government of India conveyed sanction to the Bahrein chief restor­
ing at his descretion the arms to Messrs. Fracis, Times & Co., subject to the above
stated condition and on the 26th May 1900 the Political Resident in the Persian
Gulf reported that as the result of his visit to Koweit he had concluded an agree­
ment with the Sheikh absolutely prohibiting the trade in arms. The agreement
and notification were as follows :—

Agreement by Sheikh Mubarak-biti-Sabah, Chief oj Koweit.
u I agree to absolutely prohibit the importation of arms into Koweit or exportation
thereform, and to enforce this I have issued a notification and proclamation to all concern­
ed.”
Notification by Sheikh Mubarak-bin-Sabah, Chief of Koweit.
" Be it known to all who see this that, whereas it has become known to us that the
traffic in arms in British India is prohibited, we have, therefore, decided to do all that his in
our power to assist the British and Persian Governments in putting a stop to his illegal traffic,
and we hereby declare that from the date of his notification the importation of arms and
ammunition into Koweit and the territory under my control and the exportation of the same
are absolutely prohibited. All arms and ammunition imported into any; ports of Koweit
territory or exported thereform in future will be seized and confiscated.0
Proclamation from Sheikh Mubarak-bin*Sabah, Chief of Koweit.
« Be it known to all who see this that British and Persian vessels of war have permis­
sion to search vessels carrying their and our flags in Roweit territorial waters, and to
confiscate all arms and ammunition in them, if these arms and ammunition are intended for
Indian or Persian or Koweit ports. Koweit vessels found in Indian and Persian waters by
British and Persian waters by British and Persian vessels of war suspected to contain
arms and ammunition for Indian, Persian and Koweit ports are liable to be searched by the
said vessels, and all such arms and ammunition found in them will be confiscated.”
64. In connection with his proclamation, the Political Resident wrote that
he had taken no steps to make it known, as it had to be considered that Koweit
vessels fly the Turkish flag, and although it might be presumed that there
would be no objection to British or Persian vessels of war searching vessels
under the Turkish flag in India and Persian waters, the search of vessels carrying
the Turkish flag within Koweit waters by our ships might prove a source of em­
barrassment if it came to the knowledge of the Turkish authorities.

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