File 619/1907 Pt 10 'Arms traffic:- Persian Gulf. Prize Money for captures in Persian Gulf.' [‎88r] (180/424)

1L
M
Sir,
ENCLOSURE
Admiralty to India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors.
N.L. 5333.
Admiralty,
T 9tli October 1911.
1 am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty
to acquaint 3011 , foi the information of the Secretary of State for India,
that they have under consideration applications from His Majesty’s ships
ox, Lapwing, Philomel, and Perseus, for grants 111 the nature of prize
money 111 lespect of captures in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. of dhows eng'aged in
arms traffic.
The facts of the captures are as follows :—
H.M.S. Fox.
9 __
(i.) On the 4th November 1909, H.M .S. Fox, acting on infor
mation received, proceeded to Lima Bay and there found close to the
beach a dhoU*full of arms and ammunition, but without papers or colours
and deserted by its crew. The local Chief denied any knowledge of the
arms, but subsequently two men belonging to the crew were captured,
and their evidence, as given before 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. at Muscat, left no
doubt that the captured dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. was actively engaged in arms running.
The dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. was left in custody of the Sheikh as it could not be towed.
The arms and presumably the ammunition also were retained in the
Naval Ordnance Depot, Bombay, as the question of their restoration to
the Sultan of Muscat was under the consideration of the Government of
India.
(ii.) On the 3rd December 1909, two boats belonging to H.M.S. Fox
boarded on the high seas a dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. , belonging to Bushire, containing a
cargo of arms and ammunition. No papers or colours were found in the
dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. which was left in custody at Khor Fakan, while the cargo was
destroyed at the request of the Government of India.
H.M.S. Lapwing.
3. On the 4th December 1909 H.M.S. Lapwing captured a dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean.
laden with arms and ammunition 15 miles south of Keni River. No
papers were found on board, but the nakoda confessed that the cargo
belonged to Muscat. The dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. proved unsea worthy and was burnt off
Bris Point, the cargo and crew being taken on board the “ Lapwing.”
The cargo was subsequently sunk in deep water at the request of the
Government of India.
H.M.S. Philomel.
4 __q.) On the 6 th December 1909, when in latitude 23° 52' N.,
longitude 59° 24' E., the Philomel gave chase to, and captured, a dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean.
full of arms and ammunition. The nakoda stated that the arms
belonged to the Afghans, that he shipped them at Muttra, and had
intended landing anywhere on the Makran coast that he could. He
believed that the cargo was intended for Kabul and Kandahar.
The cargo was transferred to the Philomel, and the dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. , which had
been struck bv a shot in the pursuit, sank. The cargo was afterwards
sunk in deep water at the request of the Government of India.
(ii.) On the 23rd January 1910, the First Lieutenant m command of
H.M.S. Philomel's sailing pinnace, while boat cruising off Bunji, noticed
a white building on shore. Lie landed with a party and marc le
to the fort, three miles inland from Bump, and there found a
supply of ammunition, which was successfully brought on board the
pinnace. From information received from some natives it appeared that
this ammunition was part of a large cargo landed four months previously
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