'Selection from Correspondence Relative to the Traffic in Arms in the Persian Gulf, 1897-98. Part II' [‎37r] (19/52)

37
62
14. On the 1st February 1898 the S.S. “ Baluchistan ” arrived at Bushire.
She was at once boarded by Mr. Vice-Consul Gaskin and the representatives
of the Malek-ut-Tujar and the Governor. Three cases of arms were found
on board. The first two, containing 59 rifles and 200 revolver cartridges
respectively, were deposited in the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , as they belonged to Persians,
whilst the third case, owned by a Dutch subject, Mr. Lamberts of Tehran,
was taken over by the Malek-ut-Tujar.
15. On the 7th February 1898 the Maiek-ut-Tujar gave information that
a number of cartridges had been found in a caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). belonging to a
Persian. The place was therefore searched by his representative, accompanied
by an official from the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , and 3 rifles and 1,265 cartridges in all
were found. These also were taken into the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. .
16. Colonel Meade returned to Bushire on the 9th February 1898, since
when only one seizure on the 21st February of 24 rifles and 15,994
cartridges belonging to Persian subjects has been effected by the Malek-
ut-Tujar.
(Sd.) F. B. Prideaux,
First Assistant Resident, Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
Bushire, 21st March 1898,
Sub-Enclosure 6.
Telegram from Mr. Ilardinge, Tehran, dated 19th March 1898,
to Resident, Bushire.
No. 77. Following received from Lord Salisbury:—Messrs. Fracis
Times and Company, one of the firms whose rifles have been seized, have
addressed us letter of protest in which, amongst other arguments, they state
they established at Bushire in 1887 an agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , and that since that time they
have constantly shipped to that port arms and ammunition, which have
been so described in Custom House returns and ships’ manifests, have been
examined by Persian Custom House authorities, and paid customs duties.
They state further that all this was well known to British Consul-General
and that they never had any intimation that there was any prohibition to
the importation of arms and ammunition into Bushire, that no notice to
that effect is to be found in front of the Custom House or elsewhere, nor
had they any reason to suppose that prohibition promulgated by former
Shah was in force. Please obtain and telegraph observations of Her Majesty’s
Consul-General on these statements. We have already replied that as to
our knowledge a consignment of arms was seized at Bushire two years ago,
we cannot admit that the prohibition was unknown, but it would be useful
to be able to traverse their statements more completely. Letter will be sent
to you and to India for detailed reply. Message ends. Please telegraph as
concisely as possible your observations and every argument of which there
should be many.
Sub-Enclosure 7.
Telegram from Resident, Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Bushire, dated 22nd March 1898,
to Her Britannic Majesty’s Charge d’Affaires.
No. 91. Your telegram No. 77. I would observe in reply that archives
of my office show Persian Government prohibited arms traffic in 1881 and
that Shall in 1891 reiterated order, stating emphatically that prohibition
must be enforced. In 1895 Persian authorities seized a large consignment
of arms on the ground that their coming to Bushire was illegal, and in 1896
the Persian Government appointed a special preventive officer. Notice of
prohibition was duly promulgated and circulated to British firms, and there
is no doubt that it was well known traffic was illegal, and that the better
class of British firms in consequence took no part in it. Firms who did
engage in traffic knew also it was forbidden, and it is reported they used to