Page 237 - Gulf Precis (III)_Neat

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seemed to him that the Act applied to Persian* slavery. Moreover slavery is
prohibited by the municipal law of Persia in so far as the latter is based upon
and in harmony with the Muhammadan religion, undfer which enslaving of a lree
Moslem, such as a Baluchi, would be a proceeding which no Mullah would sanc­
tion.
115. These views about the law were communicated by the Resident, as
requested by Sir A. Hardinge, to the Governor of the Gulf ports, who thereupon
promised to send a special Mamur to Jask to investigate into the affair and
bring the culprits to account.
116. As regards Sir A. Hardinge’s suggestion to invoke the assistance of
the Belgian customs officials, Major Cox
Secret E., February 1905. Nos. t-45 (No. 31).
deprecated placing any further powers
into the hands of these men in the direction of searching dhows, etc. The
Government of India concurred in this view (telegram to the Secretary of State,
dated 5th November 1904).
x x6*A. As regards the suggestion for enforcing strict compliance with Article V
of the General Treaty of 1820 by the Trucial
Ibid, N01. 3 and 12.
Chiefs, Major Cox reported on 18th June 1904
that the provision was more or less a deadletter, and as it was found that
the native craft of the pirate coast have not been recently great offenders
against the general spirit of the treaty, there was little to be gained by
exacting punctilious adherence to the details of the treaty, which could with
difficulty be enforced upon the seagoing public by the chiefs. The Government
of India, while admitting the force of these arguments, wished Major Cox to
draw the attention of the chiefs to their obligations under article V of the Treaty
and press for a stricter adherence thereto (No. 2407, dated 29th July 1904).
Note.—The preamble of the Brussels Act, howevar, refers only to /1/n'canslavery.

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