Page 473 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

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i
nn the hich seas, as well as within all the territorial waters of the 88. The Government of India accepted the above views
Gulf, with the exception of those terntor.al waters belonging t0 subject only to the
following reservations
! Turkey.
*' The existing British law apparently does not authorise the search of a
9 in the events of one or more of His Majesty’s ships being specially the high seas. It is, therefore, advisable to restrict searches, so far British ship on
detailed for this duty, whether all vessels (not steamers) should be carrying the British flag on the high seas, to native craft only,’and * as concerns vessels
indiscriminately searched, or only those against whom special British ships. not to attempt to search
suspicion is directed, or when special information has been obtained The objections which exist to any indiscriminate interference with vessels on th* u- u
from the various Political Officers and Agents stationed in the seas, apply also ,n the case of territorial waters, where the rightofs^
^
Gulf? observing that indiscriminate searching would probably exercised except when there is reason to apprehend an infection of the local Kw * Special
h inconvenience to honest traders. J caution is necessary in the case of a merchant vessel carrying the flae of * ’
cause muc any European
Power."
- In the event of a capture being made, what course should be adopted
by His Majesty’s ships with regard to the captured vessel, her Arms traffic between the Persian Gulf and the North-West Frcntier
^ and arms, having regard to the place where the cap-
crew, cargo of India, 1903—1904.
ture was made and the place to which the captured vessel belongs ? 89. With regard to the alleged trade in arms from the Persian Gulf via
87 Lieutenant-Colonel Kemball embodied his views i.n a memorandum Secret E., April 1904, Nos. 267—286 Meshed to the North-West Frontier
which he submitted for the approval of the Government of India Captain Smyth’s report, dated Quetta’
21st March 1903, is of interest:—
“ On the high seas British ships-of-war can only search vessels* under British
Persian and Maskat flags. They can do this “The best informed man on the Frontier, Muhammad P afiq Khan, for many vears
* Only sailing boats are meant. Native Political at.Chaman, firmly maintains that Meshed is a regular receiving house for
in virture of the special agreements which we
have entered into with the Shah of Persia and the Sultan of Maskat. Maskat vessels it is arms and ammunition, which arrive there from the Persian Gulf, are stored in Bast
understood fly the ordinary red Arab flag, and in view of our general position in the (sanctuary), and exported thence in large and small quantities into Afghanistan, and
Persian Gulf and of the agreements which have been entered into with the Sheikhs of across the south-west part of Afghanistan lo the tribes on our North-West Frontier; a few
Bahrein and Ko\veit,the search of all vessels under the Arab flag would probably be free finding their way down through Seistan to Baluchistan and the Sarhad.
from objection. t When in Meshed I took considerable interest in the question, personally conducting !
Within Persian territorial waters, British, Persian and Maskat vessels can certainly be investigations in the bazaar, etc., and in looking up the previous correspondence and
searched by our men-of-war and probably too there would be no objection to the search of reports in the Meshed Agency, I soon convinced myself that previous reports as to the non­ !
all vessels flying Arab colours. existence of the traffic were altogether unreliable, and that the place was' full of smuggled
rifles and ammunition, principally Birmingham made Martini-Henry rifles ; they are for sale,
The same remark applies to Maskat territorial waters, but arms found on board by hundreds, at a low price, not much over Rs. 100 each. I had 200 Martinis counted by a
could only be confiscated if the Sultan decide in such cases as may be referable to these reliable agent. As a rule, 100 rounds of ammunition was supplied gratis with each rifle.
Courts, that the arms are intended for places where the traffic has been prohibited.
Colonel Whyte started cautious enquiries among the Persian officials. The result
Within the territorial waters of Bahrein, Koweit and the Trucial Chiefs there would was startling: the Passport Officers infermed us privately that the arras traffic existed, and
probably be no objection to the search of vessels under the Persian and Arab flags. also that the Russian officials connived at it, and that at certain, or rather uncertain,
times large consignments of smuggled arms were despatched by the Russian authorities,
Legally I believe vessels under any flags could be searched within these territorial to the Russian Consul in Seistan—M. Miller.
waters, on the authority delegated by the ruler of the State to the British ship-of-war.
This trade in smuggled ! arms has existed for years, but I am of opinion that it is much
I do not consider that indiscriminate search of all vessels, on the high seas at any restricted now on account of better customs supervision. 1 could not now quote the
rate, would be justifiable, though His Majesty's ships-of- number of rifles per annum that have passed through Meshed. It must have been large,
• ;
,
- j—*.»««.u, tuuugii ms Majesty s smps-ot-war would be entitled to search
that «SSV Un ^ t"e Persian, and Arab flags upon reasonable presumption existing a year or two ago. Probably the rifles mostly come from near Bunder Abbas vid Kerman
existsUC TCSSe S C0nta,ne(^ arms ammunition destined for places where the prohibition to Meshed. Some may have come from Bushire. I should imagine that practically none of
these rifles come along the Seistan-Nushki routes, but that most of them pass from some
With point north of Seistan vid the Helmand and Registan desert. Perhaps some passthrough
Persian i° ^*sP0sal °f captured cargoes it has'been decided that seizures in aluchistan via Kharan and Kalat; such arms would probably go direct from the Gulf, and
not via Meshed, which, however, seems to have been a great market for these goods. At
a events, the trade has existed, and probably many rifles were sold direct to the Afghans
upon the h>gh seas go to the Sultan of Maskat.
P .erat, Juwain, etc., and the trade cannot have ceased altogether, though, perhaps, the
Russians have organised it a little."
hut in these cases^am'^ t!Sf°^ ^eld t0 aPPty to Bahrein, Koweit and the Trucial Chiefs,
necessary at anv rafp ’ whether such action would be politically expedient 0 90. In January 1904 the Consul-General at Marseilles reported that one
Pably, in my opinion Z8,eizure uPon the hiSh seas. Such seizures, must justi- case, supposed to contain boots for Bushire
to His Majesty's Gover ^ a.,ne<j ^or the benefit of His Majesty's ships or delivered ov Secret E., April 1904, Nos. 307—313. to be shipped on the 31st December at
uP°n the high seas jthe Case of a caPture made within Persian waters, 0
handed over for disposal fntiPtlDed .vesseh her crew and cargo, if the Persian, shou r Marseilles per “ Shahritan ” chartered by Messrs. Bucknali Brothers, was accident-
toms Administration evict 161 er?,an authorities at the nearest port where a proper a y found to contain revolvers.
waters, such vessels shonl/k ” case °f a British vessel within Persian te.rri 0 ^ The Political Resident in the Persian Gulf was instructed to inform the cus-
w>ll proceed with regard tn -,e.ma^e over to the nearest British Consular authority,
s,an territorial waters £ accordance with iaw. Other vessels captured within °ms, but not-to disclose the source of information.
remarks »!#/*/,•, , > 1 presume, amenable to Persian jurisdiction. The
Tutorial waters. PP y» I think, to vessels upon the high seas or within Trade in arms and ammunition between Sur and Somaliland. Pro-
posed appointment of a British Agent at Sur, 1904.
Cf micht ^'‘^di'Icietion'nnr °[,Arab Coast vessels captured on the high seas,
91- Major Cox, Political Agent at Maskat, writing to the
cautu eThasbeen seLed*'Z[/Majesty’s Commander be set free after the ^ Secret E Mav Berbera on the 3rd August 19 3«
at Sur
captured Up°" tlle higH sea', n '1,so b” done in case of Persian or Maskat: ve E, May i9o4l Nos. 39-47. him lhat one of the dhow-owners .
captured vessel to the Q0^y difficult for capturing ship to taku hold"ig French papers had lately purchased from French and Russian dealers in