'Report on the Arms Traffic, 1st July 1911 to 30th June 1913 (including a note on the operations of the Makran Field Force in April and May 1911)' [‎8r] (15/44)

5
l^rom figures which have been collected it may be estimated that the following
approximate numbers of rifles have reached Afghanistan, via southern Persia. No
accurate estimate is possible :—
Year.
Numbers.
1900 ..
..
..
.. ..
200
1901
•.
..
•.
500
1902 ..
—
500
1903 ..
1,000
1904
5,000
1905 ..
10,000
1906
• •
10,000
1907
30,000
1908
40,000
1909
• •
40,000
1910 ..
30,000
1911
27,800
1912
2,000
1913 (up to end of June) ..
••
• •
..
2,400
Total
199,400
In spite of Khalifa Khaix Muhammad's promises to desist from the trade he
continued to encourage Afghans to come to Makran, and helped them to obtain
rifles. During the winter of 1912-13, however, only small parties of Afghans were
to be found in Makran, and it is questionable whether, at any one time, there were
more than 50 in the country, engaged in the arms traffic.
Several caravans, which possibly were chiefly concerned with legitimate trade,
managed to pick up large numbers of rifles in the country round Bandar 'Abbas
and Lingeh, especially in Lar, and some actually busied themselves in collecting
arms round Yazd and Kirman.
The Afghans had outstayed their welcome in Makran, and occasionally were
badly handled by the inhabitants. Some of the Makran Sardars also, partly from
fear of the British Government, discouraged the traffic in arms. A rumour, to
the effect that the British Government intended to use aeroplanes, also tended
to alarm the Afghans.
5. Blockade Measures.
The following measures were actually employed for the suppression of the
arms trade :—
(a) Five of His Majesty’s ships and 4 launches, also R. I. M. S. “ Minto ”,
were maintained in the Gulf.
(b) The location of J a battalion with 2 machine guns near Robat.
(c) Intelligence officer at Jask, and later a naval intelligence officer at
Masqat.
(d) Wireless installation at Jask and Rishahr.
(e) Patrols by the Indo-European Telegraph Department line guards.
(/) The deputation of Mr. Gregson of the Indian Police, with an adequate
staff, to efiect measures for stopping the passage by steamer of
arms-traders to the Gulf from Indian ports ;
(g) the reinforcement of the telegraph station guards at Jask and Chahbar
and other places, and the placing in a state of defence of the
above two telegraph stations, which the Afghans had threatened
to attack.
S5CSB