"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [ظ‎‎١‎٣‎٦] (٦١٦/٢٧٧)

go ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY
The lanfiins: of the first l?irge consignment of arms was accomplished at
Gabreg on the 3rd March 1908, and, although, the patrol at Gahreg g a y e
early indication of a suspected landing, in the circumstances it was almost
impossible to determine the actual day of landing because the consign men t
was kept back in Maskat, and the Afghans themselves had no idea when
would cross.
The circumstances of this particular landing were investigated by
Mr. New, who found that the four boats which landed 2,880 rifles at Gabre?
and 1,000 rifles at Habt had been ready loaded in Muttra early in February
but the presence of H. M. S. Proserpine at Jask and Maskat caused the
Afghans to delay departure until later, when they got information from All
Moosa of the Proserpine's probable visit to Bushire. The consignment was
thus kept back for nearly a month and eventually sent across after the
Proserpine's departure up the Gulf.
It seems that the Maskat arms dealer, Ali Moosa, is able to get informa
tion regarding movements and destinations of ships from the dubash and bakers
employed by His Majesty's ships. On the 2nd February 1908, 57 Afghans
under Deen Mohamed Khan of Kabul, arrived at Gwadur by mail steamer from
Karachi. They travelled to Dashtyari, where they halted, and when their
intention of operating on the coast to the eastward of Charbar was known,
Mr. New decided to establish a patrol and telephone at Kodi, near Bris
Bunder.
This party of Afghans made two successful landings, one at Bris Bunder
on the 19th March 1908 and another at Pagjah (20 miles east of Charbar)
on the 3rd April 1908. No indication of the arrival of either of these con
signments could be obtained.
With regard to the landing of 300 rifles at Bris Bunder on the 19th
March 1908, it is regretted that the patrol at Kodi was fearful of the duties
he had undertaken. He was dismissed and another man engaged. In addi
tion to these two consignments, Deen Mohamed Khan bought about 800 rifles
locally in the districts of Dashtyari and Bahu.
With regard to the Afghans operating in the Ja^k district it was stated
^ .. _ , that Mir Noor Mohamed demanded
Complicities of Mirs. , . , « u
rather higher fees than the Afghans were
dispose 1 to pay. Negotiations were accordingly opened with Mir Barkat of
Jask and Biyaban, who was only waiting for a chance to induce the Afghans
to divert their attention to his part of the coast. Mir Barkat is Chief of
part of the Biyaban district which embraces the portion of coast from Kuh
Mubarak to Karai Creek, and it will be seen that during the month of Ajjril
many large consignments of arms were landed between these points. He no
doubt informed the Afghans of the presence of our telephone stations and
enumerated the advantages of carrying on their traffic through the country
westward of Jask out of touch of the telegraph line, and the result was that
his services were accepted.
Mir Barkat arranged to engage local boats, and to send retainers of bis
own to Maskat to purchase rifles. His men at the same time patrolled
the coast to watch the approach of boats carrying consignments of arms»
and also assisted in the landing of cargoes. In fact he afforded the Afghans
every assistance and was liberally paid for his co-operation.
The terms arranged were that Mir Barkat should receive Es. 2 and two
rounds of ammunition on each rifle landed. Mir Barkat arranged the engage^
ment of boats givinsr the owner an advance of its. 100, and the balance whiQlj
amounted to Rs. 300 to Rs. 400 according to the size of the boat, was paid by
the Afghans on receipt of consignments. Altogether Mir Barkat is reputed
to have received Rs. 23,000 from the Afghans and a considerable quantity
of ammunition.
It does not appear that Mir Barkat shared his takings from the reason
with any other Chiefs of the Jask or Biyaban districts. In fact the two Chiefs
of Biyaban, Mir Haji and Mir Kambar of Buoji, wrote letters to the officer
in charge at Jask corroborating the fact that Mir Barkat was assisting the
Afghans and receiving money from them. Their motive was undoubtedly