Page 61 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat
P. 61

British interests and influence, 1898-1904        51

                                    ENCLOSURES.


                                         No. 1.
                              India Office to Foreign. Office.
                                                          India Office,
             Sir,                                        9th August 1898.
                   I am directed by the Secretary of Stato for India to reply to
             your letter of the 12th of March last, in -which you forwarded a lengthy
            ..statement, dated 7th March, made by Messrs. Eracis Times & Co., in
             reference to the seizure of certain eases of arms and ammunition
             exported by them to the Persian Gulf.
               2. I am now to transmit, for tho information of the Marquis of
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             mont of India, with its enclosures, on this subject. It is evident from
             it that, in tho case oL’ Messrs. Eracis Times & Co., as woll as of other
             exporters of arms to the Gulf, the circumstances of each shipment,
             and sometimes of cacli paclcago in a shipment, must vary considerably.
             Accordingly, when any exporter, or consignee, of such goods appeals
             against their seizure by a Foreign Government, a rcfcronco must be made
             to the British Consular authority at tho place whore tho arms were
             seized, in order that the precise facts may be ascertained; and, as a
             rule, parties aggrieved should seek redress by a diroct appeal to tho
             British authorities on tho spot.
               3. Dealing then with tho sovoral seizures of arms at different places
             which form tho subject of tho firm’s complaint, I am to refer, iu the
             first place, to the seizure of arms at Bahrein, regarding which Messrs.
             Eracis Times wrolo:—“It appears that recently arms aud ammunition
             “ belonging to us of the value of upwards of 12,0002. sterling have been
             “ seized and confiscated by tho British Consul at Bahrain.” The true
             facts appear to be these. In 1890 Messrs. Eracis Times asked the
             Assistant Resident at Bushirc to givo thorn a letter of introduction to
             tho Chief of Bahrein for commercial purposes. Thereupon they were
             required to give an assurance that they did not intend to deal in arms
             there, an assurance which must at least havo reminded thorn of tho
             Persian prohibition. They, howevor, ovaded this difficulty by outoring
             into negotiations with a merchant named Agha Mahomed Rahim, who
             was also employed as a British newsagent at Bahrein. This man had
             obtaiued from tho Sheikh’s Vizier a concession of a monopoly of tho
             local trade in arms, which tho Chief had previously given to his Vizior,
             and he, in his turn, now mado it over to Mossrs. Eracis Times. Last
             year Mossrs. Eracis Times foil out with Agha Mahomed Rahim, and also
             with tho Native merchants or buniahs. Civil proceedings woro in due
             course instituted by Agha Mahomed against Messrs. Eracis Times, which
             are still pending ; and then tho Sheikh, quite independently of any
             action taken, or any advice given, by tho British Rosident, took
             possession in January last of tho stock of arms and ammunition stored
             up by Messrs. Eracis Times at Bahrein. It was not until tho end of
             April last that tho firm took the obvious aud proper courso of sub­
             mitting thoir protest against tho. Chief’s action to the Resident, and tho
             matter is still under consideration. Tho inquiry will throw light upon
             tho proceedings of tho British newsagent in this matter, which at first
             sight seem to require justification; but, ponding a final report from tho
             Government of India, Lord Goorgo Hamilton is unablo to state whothcr
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