File 868/1912 Pt 6 'Arms traffic: Muscat Trade. Compensation for French dealers at Muscat.' [‎229r] (464/564)

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No. 157 ,dated Maskat, the 24th August 1913 (Confidential).
Fr0m - M C™,?M2kaf 0X ’ CJ ' E '' P0UMA ^ t and His Britannic Majesty’s
To—The Secretary to the Government o£ India in the Foreign Department.
,, I^ave the honour to submit herewith the copy of a letter. No. 156, dated
Uthree enclosures, which I have addressed to the
Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. and His Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General in the Persian
Gulf, Bushire,
No. 156, dated Maskat, the 24th August 1913 (Confidential).
From Major S. G. Knox, C.I.E., 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. and His Britannic Maiesty's
Consul, Maskat, J J
T° Lieutenant-Colonel Sin P. Z. Cox, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. and
His Britannic Majesty^s Consul-General in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Bushire.
In continuation of my letter* No. 142, dated the 10th August 1913, to
* f ide Serial No. 230. your address, I have the honour to forward
herewith a further statement showing the
second portion of the inventory, namely, that portion which concerns itself with
the property of Messrs. Goguyer & Co. (Maskat local agent, Brahim Elbaz).
2. In my view, the main objection to this portion of the inventory is the
large number of old and practically unsaleable weapons which figure therein.
Many of these, one would think, date from the original establishment of
Messrs. Goguyer & Co.^ in Maskat. Some very large items, as for example
the caps and the cartridges for shooting canes and the 12-bore shot cartridges,
do not come within the scope of the Warehouse regulations, and I do not
consider that Messrs. Goguyer & Co. are entitled to compensation thereon.
3. I also enclose a statement showing the arms and ammunition lying
unclaimed in the State Warehouse, and believed to be the property of French
merchants. The Superintendent of the Warehouse and the French merchants
have compared their respective books in the presence of myself and the French
Consul, and their figures agree, but the goods themselves have not yet been
examined. It is, however, unlikely that these goods will have been tampered
with. Further, the rough estimated cost given has been prepared in my office,
and the French merchants' prices will no doubt be very considerably higher.
4. Thus the total figures, according to the French merchants, give a rough
estimate of £ 62,179, and, according to our figures, £ 52,517 of all arms consi
dered up to date. These relpresent all the arms actually in Oman territories
for which compensation can be claimed, with the exception of a few rifles and
cartridges in Sohar, the property of Monsieur Elbaz. These arms have not yet
arrived, but Monsieur Elbaz has assured my colleague and myself that he is
doing his best to bring them here. I hope to be able to submit a full report,
with our inventory, very shortly after their arrival.
5. A copy of this letter is being sent, with its enclosures, to the Hon’ble
the Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department, for
information.