File 619/1907 Pt 10 'Arms traffic:- Persian Gulf. Prize Money for captures in Persian Gulf.' [‎88v] (181/424)

from an Arab dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. . The ammunition was subsequently sunk in deep
water at the request of the Government of India.
(hi.) On the 24th April 1910, while cruising oh lias A1 Kuh, the
Philomel sighted two dhows which went about and stood out to sea on
seeing her. After giving chase and firing half a dozen rounds the
Philomel overhauled them and found them full of arms. In neither case
was there any attempt at concealment of the cargo. Both dhows were
cleared, taken in tow, and towed towards Jashk, one being wrecked,
while the other was subsequently released. In compliance with a
request from the Government of India the arms and ammunition were
sunk as a public example.
H.M.S. Perseus.
5.—(i.) On the 1st January 1910, the Commanding Officer, 1I.M.S.
Perseus, landed at Pishkan with a party of seamen and marines to
search for a consignment of arms and ammunition which, he had been
informed, was hidden among the hills, awaiting transport to the interior.
The Sheikh of the village refused to lead the party to the place where
the arms were hidden, whereupon he was made a prisoner and the party
set off to the hills discovering the arms after a march of 14 hours. The
arms were safely brought aboard the Lapwing and then thrown over
board, in accordance with the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, East
Indies.
(ii.) On the 25th May 1910 when in latitude 25° 22' N., longitude
58° 51/ E., the Perseus overhauled a dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. steering from seaward
inshore. She was found to be laden with arms and ammunition and the
crew had left her by the time she was boarded. After unloading the
dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. , the Perseus took her in tow and proceeded to Jask, leaving her in
charge of the Intelligence Officer there, Captain S. G. Cranford, Gordon
Highlanders. The arms and ammunition captured were destroyed with
the exception of 1,435 Martini Metford rifles and carbines ('303), which
were retained in the Naval Ordnance Depot, Bombay, at the request of
the Government of India.
G. In addition to these independent captures a joint expedition in
search of arms was carried out under the following circumstances : —
7. On the 15th January 1910 the Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
was informed by Major Austin, C.M.G., D.S.O., R.E., that 1,800 rifles
were stored at Geigan. He obtained the loan of a detachment of the
117th Mahrattas from Jashk, where they embarked at midnight, and on
arrival off Geigan they landed together with 95 men from the Fox.
It was considered impossible to get a guide without the object of the
expedition leaking out, but the raid was nevertheless most ably and
successfully canied out, though it involved most arduous work, a
considerable portion being performed in the dark hours. The arms and
ammunition captured were destroyed.
8 . In view of the importance of suppressing the traffic in arms in
these regions, and the difficulty and danger of this task, my Lords
consider it highly desirable that the officers and men of the ships
engaged in this task should be specially rewarded as in previous cases,
and they have therefore proposed to the Lords Commissioners of His
Majesty s Ireasury that awards should be made to the captors based on
lo P er cent, of the values of the dhows, arms and ammunition, as
assessed by His Majesty s Consul at Muscat.
9. As, however, the dhows, arms and ammunition have in nearly
every case been destroyed at the request of the Government of India on
grounds of public policy instead of being sold as usual in ordinary
prize cases, and there are therefore no receipts to set against the cost of