File 2869/1906 Pt 2 'Arms traffic: Mekran Coast and Baluchistan. Correspondence (1908-9)' [‎36r] (80/554)

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Absentees from main caravan.
Masqat merchants.
Trade prospects, seasons, 1908-09 and
Local Trade.
14. Of the two boats that were too
late for the caravan, one boat was known
to have landed at Gabrig just as the
caravan was starting. The second boat
with rifles purchased by Kharotis and
Sulaiman Khel was delayed at Masqat.
The caravan, would not wait any longer
for these, as they had already been col
lected some time, and they said that the
hot weather was upon them. The owners
of these two boat loads have remained
behind.
15. Most of the Afridis and Afghans
have traded with the following mer
chants :—
Ali Khan bin Musa Khan.
Ibrahim.
Goguyer.
1909-10. 16. Not so many rifles were bought
this year as last, partly because prices
have dropped in Afghanistan and partly
because they could not get enough of
their favourite “Tajdar” rifles. Orders
for these for next year have been placed
with the merchants at Masqat. A large
number of extra cartridges have been
bought this year. Many Afghans and
Adam Khel bought 4,000 or 5,000 extra
rounds. The proportion of cartridges
is likely to be greatly increased next
year.
The Afghans are making plans for
going again next year. The Kharotis
said that they intended to go very early,
before the end of this hot weather. They
would thus get the pick of the market, and
would be able to ship their arms across the
Gulf with little risk, as the gun-boats would
not be on the look-out at that time of
year. They would store their rifles with
the local Baluchis until the next caravan
season.
The traders are expecting to make 200
per cent, net profit this year.
17. No rifles were sold locally in Makran
or Persia. The Baluchis on the coast
all had their private rifles, and they do
not do any trade with the Afghans. The
few rifles that they had for sale were of