'File 13/3 Arms Traffic' [‎276v] (552/608)

intention of taking measures to deal with those alleged to he concerned in the
traffic, I appointed spies at Shargah, Ajman and Dehai. When I was engaged
at Pebai in making enquiries about arms, and while my son, Isa, was making
similar investigations at Shargah, I received a letter from him stating that,
according to reports supplied to him by the Bedouins of the Batinah Coast,
certain inhabitants of Nejd had brought with them a quantity of arms to the
hinterland, to a point some five miles distant from the town of Shargah, the
arms having been imported for them by the Batinah Bedouins. I sent a reply
to Isa instructing him to ask Shaikh Sagar, Chief of Shargah, to take measures
to seize the arms. Isa duly requested Shaikh Sagar to take steps accordingly,
but the latter did not agree. Isa pressed his request on the Shaikh and asked
him at any rate to supply him with two men to accompany him to the place
where the consignment now was. The Shaikh did not agree, however, assert
ing that he would not take measures in the hinterland, but only if the arms
were brought to Sargah, though the place where the arras now were was
within his limits. Accordingly, Isa himslf engaged several Bedouins and
certain Baluch residents of Shargah and took with him Shaikh Nasir-bin-
Ahmad, the brother of the Shaikh of Um-el-Kuwain, with three of the
latter’s sons, who w’ere all armed. The Bedouins and the B luehis were also
armed and they all hastened to the scene. By the grace of God, the arms
w r ere seized as well as those three persons who remained with them, the
fourth man running away w-hen he saw the party. Isa and his companions
remained there until the arms and ammunition were brought to my house at
Shargah. A number of the inhabitants of Shargah and some Bedouins came
to the place w here the arms were lying; and as some of the weapons were
buried in the earth wdiile some remained exposed, some of the Bedouins
pilferred two bundles rifles and two bundles Martini cartridges.
This result was achieved by the endeavours of your servant Pa, and
Shaikh Sagar did not afford the least assistance in the matter. It is obvious
that, in view of Shaikh Sagar’s refusal, Isa has run a risk in capturing the
weapons, but no untoward incident has taken place, by the help of God, as
Isa’s companions were not sparing in their endeavours, especially Shaikh
Nasir-bin-Ahmad and his sons, and the object was thus gained in the easiest
manner.
Translation of a letter from the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Agent, Shargah, to the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , No. 395, dated the 3rd September 191£.
With reference to my letter No. 394 , dated the 1st September 1912 , on the
subject of the arms seized, I have the honour to state that the arms and
ammunition seized are as follows :—
Mauser rifles
• • •
650
Martini rifles
• • •
144
5 -shots Magazine
• • •
59
10-shots Magazine
• • •
22
Total ... 875 rifles
and fiO tin-lined boxes cartridges for the said rifles.
I beg to forward herewith, for Your Honour’s information, a statement
made by the three inhabitants of the West who were in charge of the said
arms. According to their statement, the weapons belonged to—
Ali-bin-Musa,
Goguyer, the Frenchman,
Menashi, the Frenchman,
Nishan, the Frenchman,
Gabriel who is supposed to be a German,
Saiyid Yusuf ez Zawavi,
and were sent in charge of the said inhabitants of the West to Katar, and
the person who was responsible for hiring transport and boat for the arms and