'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎139r] (282/386)

Lad been put on board the Lawrence was withdrawn. Again in 1803 the im
portance of the Resident’s despatch boat being armed was emphasized by certain
circumstances connected with threatened disturbances about Bunder Abbas.
It happened that complications with a neighbouring Chief were feared at a
moment when no vessel of the Royal Navy was present in the Gulf The diffi
culty passed over without any resort to force being necessary, but in an emer
gency of this sort it is plain that the Resident’s despatch boat should be capable
not only of self-defence with small arms, but of such olfensive action as will
secure the Resident’s safety or enforce his authority. On the facts referred to
heino' reported to us, we contemplated urging on Your Lordship’s predecessor
a reconsideration of the matter, but his decision against allowing any Indian
Marine ship to be armed, had been given so recently that we determined not to
reopen the question at that moment. The events of the last four years con
nected with tiie trade in arms in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. have now led us to the con
clusion that a further representation on the subject should be no longer delayed.
Your Lordship has been kept informed of the facts of that trade, which, m spite
of all that we have been able to do so far, continues to flourish unchecked ; the
numbers of arms of precision which are being poured into Persia in this way are
a serious menace to the peace, not only of that country but of our own borders,
whither as w r e have lately assured ourselves, a not inconsiderable ^ number or
these weapons are now finding their way. Other methods of checking the trade
bavin 0, proved abortive, we are now anxious to prosecute as vigorously as our
resources in ships may permit a system of police patrols to capture smugglers
of arms. The only vessel which we can at present employ on this work is the
Sphinx but if the Lawrence were armed it would enable us to use her also and
would thus double our effective strength. On this account, as well as for the
reasons noticed above, we invite Your Lordship’s concurrence m our proposal to
put onboard the Lawrence the armament which is stored for her in the Bombay
dockyard, and we trust that you will endeavour to obtain the agreement ot le
Admiralty. We anticipate no difficulty in providing a crew who will work the
guns efficiently. As already stated we are prepared to place the ves ®; 1
the orders of the naval authorities for combatant work m the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. only,
in fact she would serve there under exactly similar conditions as the Sphinx does.
We may add that if the arming of the Indian Marine vessels were permitted we
Io U ld not be unwilling to consider the advisability of adding to their strength
two or three small fast gunboats of shallow draught for the special purpose of
patrolling the Persian coast and of intercepting the dhows by. which arms are
smuggled from Maskat to the Persian shore. We are of opinion that the matter
is oneTof great importance to the interests of India, and we earnestly trust that
Your Lordship will consider our representations with favour.
12
No. 5 (Confidential-Marine), dated Simla, the 10th August 1905.
p’ rom —The Government of India, Marine Department,
To—The Right Hon’ble St. John Brodrick, His Majesty’s Secretary of State
for India.
With reference to your Military despatch No. 53, dated 5th May 100o
we have the honour to submit, as requested, our views on the proposals ot the
Almiralty regarding the subsidised vessels of the East Indies Squadron.
2 The end of the present financial year will mark the termination of the
existing agreement with the Imperial Government in the matter of the subsidy
paid from Indian revenues in consideration of the employment oi certain s up
of the Royal Navy in Indian waters; and the Admiralty have suggested
assembly of an inter-departmental conference at an early date to discuss t
renewal of the existing contract.
3 The Admiralty have also proposed that the conference should consider an
alternative arrangement. This proposed arrangement contemplates, tost the
definite determination of the existing contract at the close of the current h a •
cial year ; secondly, the devolution on the vessels of the Royal In Iran M n