'Selection from Correspondence Relative to the Traffic in Arms in the Persian Gulf, 1897-98. Part II' [‎30v] (6/52)

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With regard to Bushire, as you are aware, the Persian law prohibiting the
importation of arms into that and other Persian ports has up to now 'been
allowed to drop out of sight entirely, for the simple reason that it brought
such a large revenue into the hands of tbe officials there and the Persian
Government, or, in other words, the Shah, could expect and get a great sum
when the port at Bushire was practically put up for sale.
At the time I was last at Bushire there was a rumour that the Malek
intended to enforce the law and confiscate some thousand rifles, but others
interested in the trade pointed out to him that if he did so the trade in arms
would cease, and that he would lose more in the iong run by the falling off
of the Customs’ dues than he would gain by the sale of the rifles confiscated
so the matter was dropped.
That is how the case rested till the British and Persian Governments
arranged to bring tbe law into force, and then it only remained to make
arrangements with the Sultan of Muscat and the Sheik of Bahrein to
co-operate with these two governments to put the restriction on the
importation into Persia and British India into working order.
You will have been informed of the seizure of arms at Bushire, and also of
the agreement come to with the Sultan of Muscat and his affirmation of it,
that with the Sheik of Bahrein has probably by now been made as the
Besident was at that place on 4th instant by the latest advices.
Unfortunately the agreement with the Sultan was not in force in time to
seize the cargo of the S.S. “Tresco,” but happily so in the case of
S.S. “ Baluchistan.’ The cargo of arms originally consigned to Bushire are
still at the Consulate pending instructions. I notice in a telegram sent to
you by Commander Fraser from Cbarbar on 30th January, he states that
cargo for Muscat in Custom House will not be removed “ without naval or
consular authority.’ Commander Fraser also informs me that a similar
statement was made in a letter of proceedings from Lieutenant and Com
mander Carr, and forwarded to you. I regret to say that this is not the case.
On my arrival I made strict inquiries as to whether the Muscat cargo in the
Custom House was still intact ; my interpreter told me that some of the cases
had been broached. The British Consul informed me that there had been no
written agreement with the Sultan in the terms mentioned in the telegram
referred to, hut that he had promised to let the Consul know if he allowed
any of the arms to be taken out, which, I believe, he did on one occasion;
but by the 7th instant they had all been taken out by the respective owners
by order of the Sultan. This piece of information I gave to the Consul who
had not heard of it, but it was confirmed to him on his visit to the Sultan on
the 8th. I also suggested to him that he should obtain from the Custom
Bunia a list of them, and to whom they belonged; the greater portion of
them were consigned to the agent of Malcolm & Co., of Bushire, and who
is the chief farmer of the Customs, so it is not difficult to see how the matter
was worked; but at the same time it appears to me a distinct breach of
faith on the part of the Sultan, and not consonant with the tenor of his
promises.
There is no doubt a general scare here at the present moment, and the sale
of arms to Arabs, &c., is very small, but still it is not at all a difficult matter
to smuggle a few arms in a trading boat laden with cargo as they would take
the stock and barrel apart and stow them in the centre of a bag, so that, not
withstanding the rigorous patrol I have established in this port, and in
Muttra, I fear they manage to pass a few out; at least so I was informed by
a friendly native. In order to assist the ships in their search, I further
suggested to the Consul that he should press on the Sultan that a careful
supervision under his orders should be undertaken of all vessels leaving
Muscat and Muttra, informing tbe Consul when any vessels were about to
depart.
I, however, find it most difficult in these and other matters to make the
Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. realise in what way he can materially assist the Navy in
carrying out their orders. The dealers in arms at Muscat are Bunias
(British subjects), Persians, and Baluchis, the two latter classes being
subjects of the Sultan.