"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [ظ‎‎١‎٩‎١] (٦١٦/٣٨٧)

ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY
up to a limit of 400,000 and to pay for them at the rate of R132 for every X00
dollars.
On May 8th, the Government of India intimated that they were unable
to accept the Eesident's new proposal, since it would amount to the purchase
by the Government of India, of a certain amount of bullion at a price
largely in excess of its market value.
Quantity of imports. —The following table shows the number of cases of
arms and ammunition imported into Maskat by ships flying British and
German flags respectively between 1st April and 31st December 1908
Ships.
N ttmbee of cases.
Arms
Revolvers.
Ammunition.
Per. Caps.
British
T otal
975
807
10
5
4,235
1,068
10
1,782
15
5,3c >
10
Cases of rifles are said to contain from 30 to 60 weapons in each as a
rule. Sometimes 70 weapons are packed in a case. Taking an average of
45 to a case the imports of rifles during the nine months may be put at 80,190.
But some of the cases marked as containing arms are said to contain revolvers
and pistols so that the above total is probably liable to some reduction.
Various makes imported and their prices. —Martini-Henry Government
pattern condemned rifles, marked Nos. 2 and 3 respectively, commanded
a very large sale during the first part of the nine months under review.
They were sold wholesale at E37 for No. 2 and R42 for ffo. 3. Retail
dealers sold the first for R45 and the second for R52. As the stock of
these rifles is now exhausted, purchasers have turned their attention to
arms of other make. Buyers from Koweit now purchase either the
English or Belgian imitation Martini-Henry rifles bearing mark
Mashallah or Sultani in gold letters. The former (English) is sold for
R35 to R38 and the latter (Belgian) for E32 to R34. The market in Koweit
at present is said to be very dull and therefore sales are small. Afghans
ana Mekranis buy largely the Roumanian Government condemned rifles
which have been recently introduced and which are sold for R30 to R34.
The original trade price is E/25. They also purchase for sale to poor
tribesmen a rifle of Austrian make called Cologogo (Werndl) which is sold
locally complete with bayonet for RIO. The original price of these
is shillings 8/6. The prices quoted above include 100 rounds of ammunition
with each rifle.
The average market price of a rifle with 100 cartridges at Maskat is
said to be as follows
English ... R38 (average is calculated from price o£ E35 to 42).
Belgian ... ,, 31 ( ditto to 35).
French ... »} 14 ( ditto ,, 12 to 16).
German ... „ 20 ( ditto „ 10 to 30).
Boumanian ... „ 30 (only of one kind).
The export to the Mekran Coast. —The export of arms from Maskat to
the Mekran Coast suffered more than last year from measures taken locally
to restrict it. H. M. S. Proserpine captured a boat from which the arms
had been jettisoned at the end of March. She also captured a small dnow
on April 18th containing 1,500 rifles and ammunition. A boom engaged in
arms running was seized by a Persian customs launch at the end oi May
1908, but the crew escaped with the arms.
On June 18th, a dhow which was sighted by the Redbreast jettisoned 20
rifles and ammunition. On June 19th news was received that another ano
sighted by the Sphinx had jettisoned 200 rifles and ammunition.