'Selection from Correspondence Relative to the Traffic in Arms in the Persian Gulf, 1897-98. Part II' [45r] (35/52)
The record is made up of 1 file (26 folios). It was created in 26 Oct 1898. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
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No. 15.
Enclosures in Eoreign Office letter of 27th June 1898.
Sir M. Durand to the Marquess of Salisbury.
No. 77. Gulehek,
My Lord, 1st June 1898.
I have received from Colonel Meade, Her Majesty’s Consul-General Political
at Bushire, a copy of a report on the traffic in arms, and the steps taken for 2079/98.
its suppression, which has, I understand, already been sent direct to your
Lordship. To this report I have little to add.
There can be no doubt whatever that the wholesale importation of arms
of precision into Persia is dangerous to the peace of the country, and
consequently injurious to our trade, and it may in time prove to be a
difficulty with which the Persian Government will find it has not the power
to cope.
I think the Sadr-i-Azam should he supported in taking stringent measures
to put an end to the import, and that the firms 'which have suffered from
the confiscation of their illicit cargoes should be left to bear the loss. It is
true that the import had been allowed to go on in spite of the prohibition,
hut the firms concerned seem to have known quite well that they were doing
what they had no right to do. They chose to run the risk, and have
doubtless made large profits. There is no serious hardship in their now
being left to suffer some loss.
As an illustration of what I have said on this point, I attach an extract
from a letter written by Messrs. Livingstone and Company to the Consul-
General at Bushire on 30th October 1896.
I have, &c..
The Marquess of Salisbury, K.G., (Sd.) H. M. Durand.
&c. &c. &c.
Enclosure in above.
Messrs. Livingstone, Muir, & Co., to the Consul-General, Bushire.
(Extract.) Bushire,
30th October 1896.
Hajee Naseer Behahani, a merchant of Bushire, ordered from Livingstone,
Muir, and Company, in May 1895, 300 Martini rifles for delivery at Muscat,
but subsequently cancelled same and they were left on Livingstone, Muir,
and Company’s hands.
Livingstone, Muir, and Company shipped 250 of the said rifles to Muscat
per steamship “ Zulu ” in May 1896.
In April 1896 the first of a series of meetings had taken place at the
house of Hajee Agha Mahomed Dedashti the Mointujar, who had offered to
act as intermediary in settling a dispute regarding wheat accounts between
Livingstone, Muir, and Company and Hajee Naseer Bebahaui, and at the
meeting above referred to Mr. Muir was asked by the Mointujar that he
should pay the equivalent of any balance his firm might be found to owe to
Hajee Naseer in rifles (delivered in Bushire) which were to he shipped per
“Zulu,” and the Mointujar promised to find a buyer for the remainder.
Mr. Muir expressed himself inclined to consent to the proposed arrangement,
hut no precise terms were discussed, the basis of the proposition being that
the matters in dispute should be first settled in order to arrive at the amount
to be paid to Hajee Naseer.
In a subsequent private interview which Mr. Muir had with the Mointujar
the latter promised to get him an undertaking from His Highness the
Hissam-i-Sultani, that the guns which were to arrive at Muscat, as well as
any future imports, would not be seized should they be brought on to
Bushire instead of being landed at Muscat. Meantime the meetings in the
Moin’s house continued to take place.
Subsequently the Mointujar sent for Mahmoud Ibn Hajee Baker, the
principal Persian employee of Livingstone, Muir, and Company, and asked
About this item
- Content
This file contains a selection of correspondence and enclosures compiled by the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Political and Secret Department relating to arms traffic in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. from 1897-98.
Correspondents include: 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. and Consul at Maskat [Muscat], 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. , the Foreign Office, the Viceroy of India, the Board of Customs, the Consul-General for Fars, the Chargé d'Affaires in Tehran, the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , the Government of India, the Secretary of State for India, and various British merchant companies.
The following topics are discussed:
- the seizure of arms on board SS Baluchistan ;
- an assessment of the current situation regarding arms traffic and steps recently taken for its suppression;
- British and Persian firms engaged in the arms trade;
- the confiscation of arms at Bushire;
- Persian prohibition, and British interests in coming to agreement with the Persian Government and assisting in enforcing Persian regulations;
- methods of trade;
- policy for the future;
- the registration of arms and ammunition;
- the case of Fracis Times & Co. v. The Sea Insurance Company (Limited)
It contains three letters in French.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (26 folios)
- Arrangement
This file consists of a single document with re-printed correspondence arranged chronologically.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 28, and terminates at f 53, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- IOR/L/PS/18/C87/2
- Title
- 'Selection from Correspondence Relative to the Traffic in Arms in the Persian Gulf, 1897-98. Part II'
- Pages
- 45r:45v
- Author
- Livingstone Muir & Co.
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