File 619/1907 Pt 3 'Arms Traffic:- Koweit Trade.' [‎56v] (117/720)

arms that you take from them the cost price to you this was not known up to
the present neither to the Government nor to me, but I will inform the
Government concerning it and the order is with them. This is what was
necessary to write and May you be preserved.
4th October 1911.
10th Shawal 1329.
No. 3045, dated Bushire, the 2nd (received 11th) December 1911 (Confidential).
From— J. H. Bill, Esq., First Assistant Resident (in the absence of theResident),
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, in the Foreign Department.
,, With reference to the current negotiations with Maskat in connection with
the arms traffic, I have the honour, under instructions from the Resident to
forward for the information of the Government of India, translations of
M A Memorandum given privately and confidentially by Colonel Cox
to His Highness the Sultan, embodying the purport of communi
cations previously made to him verbally.
{ii) A letter, dated 11th November, from His Highness the Sultan to
* Seriaai No. 17 . Resident on which the
latter’s telegram* No. M,—8
of same date was based.
Translation of a Memorandum furnished to His Highness the Sultan of Maskat confidentially
and privately, for his personal information on the subject of the Arms Traffic dated thp.
7th November 1911. ' a. ea toe
A combination of recent developments appear to Government to have
created a juncture which necessitates a fresh and frank discussion of the out
look with Your Highness.
A , 8 /°n 7, ell J^° W ’ tlle F esent m icit traffic in arms and ammunition
across the Gulfs of Oman and Persia from Maskat constitutes a great menace
to vital British interests on the North-Mest Frontier of India.
It is imperative for the British Government to eradicate this traffic or to
keep R down to insignificant proportions by one means or another and His
Majesty s Government are determined to maintain measures to that end
we have informed Your Highness, we have been engaged for a considerable
time past in endeavouring to effect the object in view conveniently by inducing
the French Government to come to an amicable arrangement with Your
Highness and ourselves, which, with Your Highness’s co-operation w ouh
render possible the introduction of an absolute prohibition against the W
import and export of arms to and from Maskat territory ; -we agSg prtraWy
with Tour Highness to give you fair compensation in respect of loss of income
whicl, might result to you. As long as there was expectation of these ne"o
tiations with France being brought to an early and successful conclusion onr
friendly regard for Your Highness personally prompted us to refrain from
taking full advantage of the strict ietter of your delegation of authority to
His Majesty’s Navy and to restrict our operations as far as possible tothe
high seas ard the opposite coast, and thus to avoid taxing you with frenimnt
demands for co-operation or other active measures likely to brino. v Vtoto
difficulties with your own subjects. While well aware that Your Hi-1, ness ha*
denved a considerable amount of profit from the existence of the contraband
traffic in question, nevertheless the British Government iud-in- from fil , /
of the local Agents, readily believe that the traffic has\& b S een a touT o?
to“eHef. ry anX ‘ ety t0 Y ° Ur HighneSS fr ° m Which r ou besorj
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