'Selection from Correspondence Relative to the Traffic in Arms in the Persian Gulf, 1897-98. Part II' [50v] (46/52)
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
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
stoppage at Bushire of 13 cases of rifles and four cases of ammunition
belonging to them, alleged to be intended for Maskat. Interference on
their behalf was, however, refused by the Consular authorities, and the
arms were duly confiscated. On the 8th of April 1895 the Sadr-i-Azam
addressed Sir M. Durand in these terms:—“ According to the reports
“ received from the ports in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
fire-arms are imported
“ from time to time as e merchandize 5 into the interior of the country
“ through the ports. When any officials of the Persian Government get
“ to know of the fact, the owners pretend that the arms are destined for
“ the district of Oman. In order to prevent this pretext it is necessary
“ that an order should be issued to the effect that all fire-arms intended
“ for Oman should .be imported direct by sea without entering the
“ ports of the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
.” The Persian Minister added that “ fire-arms
“ found in the ports shall be confiscated by order of the Persian
“ Government.” It was after this renewal of activity on the part of
the Persian Government that Messrs. Pracis Times turned their attention,
as already shown in paragraph 3 of this letter, to the establishment of
a dep6t on the island of Bahrein. That the prohibition of the Persian
Government was well known to the trade, and that its consequences
were feared, is evident from Messrs. Livingstone, Muir, & Co.’s com-
„ , _ __ _ . munication to the Consul-General
No 77“tr.”is t Vn , :im Durand ’ ^ f Bushire, dated 30th October
1896,* in respect to certain rifles
carried by the “Zulu," in which it is clearly stated that a contract was
entered into “ to take all consequences of seizure ” at Bushire. The
reply given to Messrs. Pracis Times when they applied for an intro
duction to the Sheikh of Bahrein must be read in connection with these
facts. In 1896 a special preventive officer, Ibrahim Khan, was
appointed by the Persian Government, and he held his office till
November 1897. He was succeeded after a brief interval by the Malek-
ut-Tujar, who, on the 1st December 1897, informed the British Consul
General at Bushire that he had been ordered to seize arms illicitly
imported, and that he had received information regarding a con-
x c* tt 1 i ^ t signmentf brought in by a Parsee
t zS'cc Enclosure to Foreign Office Letter, j -a/t -m • nr
dated 22nd April 1898. firm named Messrs. Pracis Times.
It was on the 7th of December
that the premises of Messrs. Pracis Times, and on the 11th following
that those of Messrs. Dixon and Messrs. Livingstone Muir, were searched
at Bushire. While these events were occurring at Bushire the S.S.
“ Baluchistan ” sailed from “ Manchester ” on the 8th of December, and
after taking in a further supply of arms at Marseilles, she left that
port on the 27th of December. On the 23rd of December, while she
was still at Marseilles, the shipowners, Messrs. Strick & Co., wrote to
the Poreign Office stating that they were informed that the Persian
Government had given orders to prohibit the importation of arms.
They stated that “ our S.S. 1 Baluchistan ’ had already left this country
“ for the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
with a quantity of arms and ammunition on board,
“ before the shippers, or ourselves as carriers, had cognizance of this
“ decision.” They added that their agents had referred to the British
Besident, who stated “ that the arms are liable to be seized and con
fiscated in Persian waters,” and they asked for “ protection in this
matter.” Obviously their application implied that their shipments were
meant for Persia, and as Her Majesty’s Government made no promise
of protection the shippers must be presumed to have been aware of
the risk they ran. This inference is strengthened by the precautions
of secrecy taken by the persons engaged in the trade, to which reference
will be made directly.
7. Before, however, that point is dealt with, I am to refer to the
circumstances which led to the seizure of the arms on board the
“Baluchistan” in Maskat waters, by the authority of the sovereign of
Maskat. The Sultan of Maskat had, previously to the arrival of the
ship, undertaken to assist the Government of Persia in carrying out
its prohibition, just as His Highness had in 1891 assisted the British
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
Use and share this item
- Share this item
'Selection from Correspondence Relative to the Traffic in Arms in the Persian Gulf, 1897-98. Part II' [50v] (46/52), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/C87/2, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100036172705.0x00002f> [accessed 27 August 2024]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100036172705.0x00002f
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100036172705.0x00002f">'Selection from Correspondence Relative to the Traffic in Arms in the Persian Gulf, 1897-98. Part II' [‎50v] (46/52)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100036172705.0x00002f"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000833.0x0000dc/IOR_L_PS_18_C87_2_0046.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000833.0x0000dc/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- 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
- 28r:31v, 32v:35v, 36v:37r, 38v, 40r, 41r:42v, 44r:44v, 46r:46v, 47v:51v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence