'The Trade in Arms with the Persian Gulf' [‎54v] (2/4)

in February and in July of 1897 a quantity of arms to the Gulf, and the
S.S. “Arabistan” which had sailed in September 1897 with several cases of
arms and ammunition. It is inconceivable that they were not aware of the
restrictions and dangers of the trade. In fact on the 23rd of December,
four days before the “ Baluchistan ” sailed from Marseilles, and long before
it reached Port Said, or Jibuti, they wrote to the Foreign Office referring to
the orders given by the Persian Government, and asking Lord Salisbury
“ to give such instructions as will enable our steamer to have protection in
this matter.’ 5 They admitted that the Besident had informed their agent
that 44 the arms are liable to be seized and confiscated in Persian waters.”
On the 24th of December they were asked by the Foreign Office to give
certain detailed information as to the consignee’s names and other particulars.
This, however, -was an inconvenient request with which they did not comply,
and on 13th of January their omission was referred to in these terms:
“ In the absence of that information there is nothing to show that the
“ shippers and exporters were not, at the time of exportation, alive to the
“ risks which they have incurred by engaging in a trade which is contrary to
“ Persian law and regulations.”
British Interests .—It is convenient here to summarise some of the reasons
which induced the British Government to come to an agreement with the
Persian Government, and to assist it in enforcing the Persian regulations :—
I. For some years past it had been evident that Muscat was becoming a
centre of trade in arms and ammunition, and the Sultan was
anxious to stop its growth as dangerous to his own position. Be-
bellions against his authority in Dhofar and at Mattra had proved
that the tribesmen were armed, and the British Government
had given advice and even lent its active aid in restoring the
Sultan’s authority. It was at first proposed to put a heavy tax on
the importation of arms, but the Muscat Treaties of Commerce, of
21st September 1833, with the United States, of 19th March 1891,
with Great Britain, of 17th November 1844, with France, and the
rights of other most favoured nations were found to be opposed to this
solution. The alternative of prohibiting the export of arms to the
Gulf from Great Britain was considered and rejected. There seemed
then no other course open save that of stopping the trade with Persia
and India through Muscat, and this course, after a discussion of some
months, was finally proposed to the Foreign Office on 1st December
1897, the very day on which the agent of the Persian Government
informed the Besident at Bushire of the orders which he had in
dependently received from the Persian authorities to make a seizure of
arms.
II. Amongst other events which served to call attention to British
interests in the matter were several piratical attacks on British Indian
vessels trading with the Gulf and the Shatt-el-Arab. In the case of
the Hari Prasad, and more recently in that of the Kalian Pasa which
was attacked on the 2nd of December 1897 near Saihan Point,
the fatal use of firearms and our failure to secure satisfaction
for the piracies convinced Government that steps must be
taken to protect British commerce by dealing with this question.
There were precedents for such action, because in 1892 the Sultan of
Muscat had, in the interests of Germany, been induced to prohibit
the re-exportation of arms from Muscat for the coasts of Africa, and
in the previous year their exportation to Gwadar was also forbidden.
Now, British interests in the Gulf are bound up with peace,
because we have a network of Indian treaties with the tribes for
what is called “ the Maritime Truce.” Of recent years, at Koweit
and Bahrein, and at Zobara in the El Katr peninsula, there have
been grave disturbances requiring our intervention, and in each case
the position was aggravated by the arms traffic.
III. In Persia itself British interests had suffered from attacks upon the
telegraph system of the Indo-European Telegraph Company, which
the Persian Government and the local chiefs are bound to protect