'Administration Reports 1925-1930' [‎118v] (241/418)

46
During the year 155 cases were settled to the satisfaction of the parties
concerned without reference to the Muscat court. In 73 of these cases both
parties were British protected persons, whereas the ramaining 82 cases
were between British and Muscat subjects. Three petty criminal cases
were also heard. There were two important semi-insolvency cases which
were satisfactorily compromised shortly after the close of the year and one
insolvency case affecting Gwadur merchants is pendiner in the court of the
Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Muscat.
The trade of Gwadur is mainly the export of dried fish to Ceylon, and
of fish manure, fish fins and fish maws to London and Japan. Ourin^
the 3" ear about 50,000 packets of fish were exported of a value of approxi
mate by Ks. 7,50,000. For the past three years the fish trade of Muscat
has suffered from scarcity of fish and this has been reflected in a number of
insolvency cases, in two of which about a lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. were involved.
G. deSMIDT, Director,
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Telegraphs,
in Political Charge of Mekran Coast.
Karachi,
The 1st A pril 1929.
Mu. A. W. Halkett's report No. 88, dated 1st January 1029, on the
condition of the districts between JaSK and gwadur.
Jask District.
Mir Mustafa Khan continues to control this district assisted bv his
son Murad Khan- • ^ b
In April a small disturbance took place at Jask between the Mudir of
Customs and Seyed Mohamed Saleh an influential Jask merchant supported
by some tribesmen from old Jask. It appears that the Persian Postmaster
was tampering with coi respondence handed him for despatch by the Syed
and showing contents of the letters to the Mudir of Customs. It was found
after those letters had been perused, that the Seyed was reporting the
Mudir of C ustoms to Tehran for corrupt dealings, and the Mudir in a
spirit of revenge, summoned the Seyed to the fort where the Customs Honqp
is situated, and requested him to bring his fleet of dhows in front of the
"f < 0I J P lea , tllat . the Seyed was engaged in smuggling. The Seved
jefused to comply with the Mudir's request, whereupon Mudir arrested
AMV if r 1Iji / >I ' ma l tlon wa s conveyed to old Jask, whereupon Abdun
arrived Jask with a following of about 80 armed Baluchis and de
manded that the Seyed should be released. Mudir after so™
decided to do so, but Baluchis were not satisfied and decidpH flip 1 "m
take the Mudir to old Jask and hold him as hostage for the sied ? JsXl
Baluchis surrounded fort and cut the water and food 8 uppl v off and Mudir'
ei sian Postmaster with one Persian non-commissioned officer and twentv fiw
men were istoxated It appeared at this time that the Baluchis intended to
starve the occupants of the fort into submission and not to reLrt to arms
but a Persian peon A low-ranking infantryman, orderly or assistant (South Asian context). employed by the Customs proceeded to the well for water
and found a Baluch on guard over the water snrmlv A t , ? ,
a stick whereupon latter fired at the peon A low-ranking infantryman, orderly or assistant (South Asian context). from point blank range but
fortunately missed the peon A low-ranking infantryman, orderly or assistant (South Asian context). - This was the signal for a outburst of
firing, both from the fort and the Baluchis outside, but as is -ene aIh the
case , m affairs of this nature, casualties were Officer Commanding