'Volume I. MEMORANDA REGARDING PERSIA AND NORTH-WEST TRANS-FRONTIER. 1905.' [‎38v] (81/310)

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17. (Vide paragraph 26 of Memorandum
for July 1905.) In reply to a communication
from the Customs officials respecting
seizure of some arms and packages of dyes
at Cheroo, supposed to be contraband,
Soulet-ul-Mulk, Deputy Governor of Bustek,
states that he has released the caravan m
question, as they had no contraband. e -,a^e
them a present of “ Abbas ” (cloaks) an
carpets, worth about 100 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. . There is,
however, no doubt that the former report about
landmo- of rifles. &c., by the caravan is
correct.
18. The arms traffic to the Shib Kuh
ports is said to be on the increase; and as the
Sheikhs of these ports make a good income out
of it, they bribe the Customs officials to keep
quiet.
19. Bunder Abbas.—A great deal of ill-
feelin<* against the Customs has been caused
by the Customs Inspector at Kishm having
insisted on people from all parts of the island
brinsdng their goods and chattels o^ erland
to the Kishm Customs House for inspection
before they are permitted to embark in their
boats for their annual migration to Minab,
&c.; and a disturbance was only averted
by the timely intervention of* the Deputy
Governor. The people, it appears, offered to
bring their boats when loaded round to the
Customs House for a formal inspection, but the
offer was rejected.
20. Eenjam.—{Vide Memorandum for
July, paragraph 27.) M. Stas (the Belgian
Director of Customs of Bunder Abbas)
complains of having been misrepresented
by the Telegraph Superintendent, in regard
to his language on the occasion of his
recent visit to Henjam, and asserts that
the story told is absolutely untrue. Lieuten
ant Shakespear (H. M.’s Consul at
Bunder Abbas) has, however, obtained a
statement of what took place signed by six
persons, who were actually present at the
time M. Stas made use of the language to
which Sir Arthur Hardinge has objected.^
21. Jask .—Major Cox, Political Resi
dent, Bushire, reported, on the 3rd June
3905, that the Persian Government had
levied Customs dues on rations sent from
India to the native infantry detachment at
Jask since 1903. He referred the matter to
Tehran, and received a reply from Sir Arthur
Hardinge, stating that the Shah had said that
the detachment at Jask was unnecessary • if
troops were required for the protection of the
telegraph staff, then Persian soldiers would be
sent. He added that two courses were open in
regard to forwarding rations to Jask free of
Customs duty, namely, to send them as stores
for the telegraph staff there, or to first pay the