File 619/1907 Pt 10 'Arms traffic:- Persian Gulf. Prize Money for captures in Persian Gulf.' [‎116v] (237/424)

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“ district are perfectly powerless, even collectively, to prevent Afghans from
“ landing arms on the coast. Large numbers of Afghans receive the
“ consignments on the beach, and are well prepared to resist any local
“ interference.”
It should be added that there is little reason to doubt that the Sirdars Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. of
Persian Baluchistan have a pecuniary interest in the trade.' 1 '
Moreover, the nature of the country is such that, once the consignments
isso/oe arms are l^ n( led and clear of the
coast, it is virtually impossible to catch
the caravans conveying them into the interior. In this connection a letter
written by Lieutenant Ogilvie in August 1906 may be quoted :—“ The com-
“ munications in Baluchistan are so unspeakably badf that large caravans,
“ when once they have left the coast, can travel without any fear of
“ interference, even if such interference were contemplated, by the autho-
“ rities, and with the utmost secrecy. The true facts of the case are that the
“ authorities have no power to do anything. When once past Bampur the
“ smugglers have only to avoid Khwash, where is a Hakim with three
“ soldiers, and they have a clear space, practically uninhabited as far as
“ Seistan.”
21. Mr. Grant Duff, in July 1906, thought it possible that when the five
Attitude of Belgian Customs Officials. launches then under construction at
Bombay for the Persian Government,
had been supplied to the Customs Department, “ something may be done by
the Belgian | officialsJ to check the arms traffic.” These launches were
supplied during 1906-07, but they seem to have had no appreciable effect
upon the trade.
The attitude of the Belgian officials towards the trade at that time may
1388/06. illustrated by an incident reported
by Lieutenant C. T. Daukes, Consul at
Seistan, in June 1906. On the 1st May 1906 the British Consul received
information that a caravan carrying rifles and accompanied by armed Afghans
had started inland from the Gulf, together with details of its probable route
through Persian territory to the Afghan frontier. M. Cattersel, the local
Director of Customs, w T as at once urged to take steps to apprehend the
caravan, but, under considerable pressure, declined to do more than give a
vague promise Brat he would offer a reward for its seizure. On the 11th May
new r s was received of the near approach of the caravan, and M. Cattersel
was again urged to make some attempt to intercept it. Nothing was done,
however, and on the 28th May the caravan was reported to have passed
through to Band-i-Kamal Khan on the Helmund. In the words used bv
Mr. Daukes in reporting the incident, “ ample warning was given, even the
“ route of the caravan was correctly gauged ; and yet, in spite of the facilities
thus afforded them (i.e., the Belgian officials), no steps were taken.”
On the British side of the Perso-Baluch border preventive measures
Preventive measures in British Bain- Y 61 *® f^Opted with SOUie success. Ill
chistan. April 1907 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. , Chagai,
„ , . (Major Webb Ware) made special
anangements for watching the routes leading from Persia across the
* Local chiefs are also liberally bribed, and it is not to be supposed that they would giv
any but valueless information. —Persian Gulf Administration Report, 1906-07 *
“ M/r W fl Newcomen’s account of the communications in South-East Persia
^Kaffilas have for ages worked their toilsome way along river-beds and valleys ove
moun am passes, and along certain tracks across the plains. In time a faint and indistint
„ f 0 °I\ liaS be ^ ^ground, and at night thesilent camels find their way across th
' WJ. L scenting the taint left by those that went before them along the track.”—Repoi
^ Y \ T Indian Commercial Mission to South-Eastern Persia, 1904-05".
, + ^ a Be lgmn Customs official, was summoned by the Persian Government in 189
H^rrv rV1 “ 0f , P . el ? a :, , He declared his tbjeot to be to “ follow the exampl
Customs officers employed^’nd” M° WMs^-eTuU Belg™, 6 the’“ Refo^