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Persia. Dhows very seldom take a cargo of arms, but carry what can conveniently be
stowed away in the other cargo. }
If arms arc fouud on board a dhow in Maskat, the difficulty of proving their destina­
tion is immense, and owing to the configuration of the coast line, the same holds good at
sea. A dhow may be bound for the Private coast where there is no prohibition, but still
find it convenient to drop arms at various places on the Persian coast, and if bound for
the Persian coast with arms on board she conveniently alters her destination for some port
on the Arab coast. ' 1
The purchaser cither proceeds by mail to Maskat or sends an Agent, he thon makes
his purchases, arranges for the arms to be shipped and where they will be received, and
returns by mail in time to arrange for their re-
Vidt Captain Boning’* statement on p*ge ception. Haji Cassim* is a well-known mer­
chant of Bunder Abbas, and, as he is a man of
means, the Persian authorities can deal with him effectually. He is not known to be
specially interested in the traffic. He is agent for the Mogal line and other steamers.
The precautions of rings and chains and lead cases seem unnecessary.
The greatest difficulty the searches has to overcome is the political and legal 'aspect
of the case. A dhow’s cargo might be carefuly examined, and even if arms are found
the difficulty of proving her destination for a prohibited port is almost insuperable.
Arms are brought to Maskat by steamers trading regularly between the United Kingdom
and Maskat, and are landed at the Custom House in the same way as other trade goods.
There are shops for their reception at Muttra as well as Maskat. Ships are seldom taken
to examine dhows for arms before leaving Maskat owing to the difficulty of proving illicit
destination. Dhows have no clearance papers. The traffic goes on all the year round.
By agreement with the Sultan of Maskat and Persia, we have power to search dhows
flying his or the Persian flag, and should we strictly enforce this right, the dhows would
probably fly some other flag. There is no reason to suppose that the traffic is carried on
particularly under the French flag.’1
80. Writing on the 17th November 190a, Lieutenant-Colonel Kemball
reported that information had reached
Agreement with the Trucial Chiefs.
him that the trade in arms between Maskat
and the Arab Coast was increasing. El Katr was the place to which the arms
and ammunition were chiefly taken, but reports had recently come in that con­
signments had been brought by sailing vessels into Shargah, Debai, and Abu
Dhabi. It was said that the arms were taken out of Maskat under permits for
places in Maskat territory. Colonel Kemball pointed out that he would
endeavour to arrange with the Trucial Chiefs that the importation of arms
should be put a stop to, but with regard to importations into Katr, no arrange­
ment was possible, and, in order to prevent the traffic our men-of-war would
have to be left freedom of action in the matter of searching all native craft under
the Arab or British flags, and confiscating any cargoes of arms irrespective of
their destination.
81. On the 8th December 1902, Colonel Kemball reported that he had
visited the various Trucial Chiefs and had obtained agreements from them in
accordance with which they had promised to prohibit the importation into their
respective territories, and the exportation therefrom of arms and ammunition.
With regard to Debai, the Chief had asked that he might be permitted to import
arms and ammunition into Debai for his own use ; no objection was seen to
this and a letter to this effect was given to him.
We, the undersigned Trucial Chiefs, agree to absolutely prohibit the importa­
tion of arms for sale into our respective
Agreement.
territories or the exportation there from
and to enforce this we have issued a Notification to all concerned.
MAKTOOM-bin-HASHAR (Debai).
SAGAR-bin-KHALED (Shargah).
RASHID-bin-AHMAD (Um-eM<owain).
ABDUL AZ1Z-bin-HAMA1D (Ajwan).
ZACED-bin-KHALIFAH (Abu Dhabi). I
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