"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [و‎‎٢‎٣‎٧] (٦١٦/٤٧٨)

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 1909.
57
ships flying British, German and Russian flags between January 1st and
December 31st, 1909 :—
numbeb of cases.
Ships.
Eifles.
Revolvers.
Ammunition.
Miscellaneous.
British . . . • •
484
4
2,758
7
German . . • • •
982
23
2,440
1
Russian
3
...
...
...
T otal
1,469
27
5,198
8
According to information procured from His Highness' Customs the
total number of rifles imported was 43,155 and the average number of rifles
in a case was therefore 29-38.
The figures for the nine months covered by last year's Administration
Report were:—
N umbbb op cases.
Rifles.
Revolvers.
Ammunition.
Percussion caps.
1,782
15
5,303
10
and the total number of rifles imported during the period was so
that there has been a considerable falling off in imports. It is dimcuit to
say with certainty to what reason the decrease is due. Local reports attri
bute it to the apprehension which was aroused as to the probable result ot
the Brussels Arms Conference. Possibly, the severe illness and eventual
death, on October 16th, of Monsieur Goguyer, the notorious arms merchant,
may have had something to do with it. Possibly also the local market was
rather overstocked. • -n u
Export to Mekran Coast.—From Appendix V to this report it will be
seen that 27,786 rifles, 1,774,600 rounds of ammunition and 300 pistols are
known to have been exported to the Mekran Coast. It is probable that many
more pistols were exported than have been accounted for. Large quan i les
of arms and ammunition were exported to Katr, Bahrain, Kuwait an
Persia, but no reliable figures can be procured regarding these. Exports to
Somaliland were insignificant.
Captures—Yxom Appendix VI it will be seen the^captures made
by His Majesty's ships during the year acoountedfor 6 897nflesand82o,400
rounds of ammunition. The captures effected by H. M. S.' Fox in March de
pressed the trade temporarily, but small consignments continued to ^ r ™
across during the hot weather, and, early in September, there was a vigorous
recrudescencl of the smuggling. Several large consignments fere then earned
across and stored at places near the coast pending the arnva o ywpilw
chasers. The captures made by His Majesty s ships ear y , f ,1
paralysed the trade and, at the time of writing, it has not recovered fro:
blows inflicted It is significant that a considerable P r0 P 0 ^ 10n ^ the f r ^
captured consisted of small bore magazine weapons and that some
ammunition was found to contain expanding bullets. ^
Brussels Arms Conference.—The Brussels ^ternational A^
broke up in December without achieving any result affecting the trade a
Maskat
Mr. Muhammad M. .
Foreign Consuls. Consul from January 1st till Septembe
27th, when Mr. J A. Ray arrived and entered on his duties as Consul.