File 619/1907 Pt 10 'Arms traffic:- Persian Gulf. Prize Money for captures in Persian Gulf.' [‎116r] (236/424)

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I! tlie consignments eventually find their way into the interior of Oman, to
the Arab and Turkish coasts, and to the Persian seaboard, whence it is
‘‘ certain that a proportion reach the tribes on the north-west frontier Region of British India bordering Afghanistan. of
“ India.” Some four years later, in February 1907, the Government of
India reported that further experience had confirmed their view that “no
“ traffic in arms worth considering is carried on between Muskat and the
^ African seaboard.“ On the other hand,” they wrote, “there can be no
“ doubt that by far the greater part of the arms landed at Muskat leave
“ again by sea, and that Muskat has now earned the reputation of being the
“ arms depot of the entire Middle East.”
20. As regards the situation on the Persian Coast it may be said generally
Situation on Persian Coast. that the measures adopted by the Persian
-.nr^/rw. authorities have had little or no effect in
^ . stopping the traffic. Mr. Grant-Duff,
British Charge d’Affaires at Tehran, wrote in July 1906: “ There is no
“ present likelihood of the Persian Government taking the slightest trouble
“ to put an end to it. Even if they desired to do so, 1 doubt if they have the
“ power.”
The Government of India have from time to time done what they could to
check the trade at the Persian ports. In 1900, a Vice-Consul was appointed
to Bunder Abbas, where “ it was hoped that the presence of a British officer
“ might lead to the display of greater vigour in the repression of the illicit
“ importation of arms along the neighbouring portions of the Persian coast.”
In 1902, measures were concerted with the Persian Governor-General of
Mekran to prevent the importation of arms into Persian Baluchistan, and to
impose restrictions on their possession in that province. A further conference
on the subject took place between the Persian officials on the Mekran border
and the British frontier officers in 1906, leading to the conclusion of an
agreement signed at Karwan on the 26th May 1906, by which thirteen
“headmen and greybeards” of the ports of Persian Baluchistan engaged to
hold themselves responsible for stopping the importation of arms and ammu
nition. The agreement was countersigned by Captain McConaghey, Assistant
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. , Mekran, by the Persian Governor of Baluchistan, by Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
Said Khan, of Rapch, who described himself as holding the Nizamat of
Persian Mekran, by the Customs Mudir of Chahbar, and by a representative
of the Persian Foreign Office. (See Appendix XII.) The desire to cope with
the illegal traffic in arms was also one of the reasons which led, in the same
year (1906), to the temporary appointment (since discontinued) of a Vice-
Consul at Bam.
But little advantage could be expected from the co-operation of Persian
officials, who, whatever their intentions might be, had not the means of
interfering effectively with the trade.
Lieutenant G. D. Ogilvie, who travelled through Persian Baluchistan in
, " June 1906, on his way to take up his
' J '" duties as Vice-Consul at Bam, reported
that the local Persian authorities were quite incapable of dealing with the
traffic, and that the Afghans! employed in smuggling arms up country from
the coast were invariably w T ell armed, and could overcome any opposition
offered to them with the greatest ease.
The same view w r as expressed by the Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , in his
Annual Administration Report for 1906-07. “There is little doubt,” he
wrote, “ that the three chiefs in charge of the coastal portion of the Karwan
* On the other hand, the Colonial Office in March 1909, expressed the view that the effect
of the arms traffic at Muskat on the position in Somaliland “ cannot be overlooked, as the
« ]q u il a h draws some of his supplies from this source, and one of his dhows was recently
“ captured by an Italian man-of-war while on its way from Illig ” to Muskat, (Colonial Office
to Foreign Office, 13th March 1909, 3118/09).
t Prior to 1903 arms for Afghanistan and the Indian frontier were mainly purchased at
Bunder Abbas, and conveyed thence by the annual autumn caravans of Afghan merchants.
In 1903-04 a’ direct trade, for the purpose of carrying arms and ammunition only, was
organised by the Afghans, the arms being landed on the Persian Mekran coast, where they
were met by Afghans with camels.