File 869/1904 Pt 2 'Arms Traffic: - Red Sea, Africa and Aden' [‎87v] (183/540)

Memorandum from
Major-General H. M. Mason, Political Kesident at Aden, No. 377,
dated Aden 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. , the 21st January 1906.
Copy forwarded with compliments to the Chief Secretary to the Govern
ment ot Hombay in the Political Department for information, in continuation
of this office fto. 265, dated 14th January 1906.
Memorandum from Major-General H. M. Mason, 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. at Aden, No. 378,
dated Aden 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. , the 21st January 1906.
Advance copy forwarded with compliments to the Secretary to the Gov
ernment of India in the Foreign Department for information, in continuation
of this office No. 376 of to-day’s date.
No. 265, dated Aden 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. , the 14th January 1906 (Confidential).
Prom— Major-General H. M. Mason, 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. at Aden,
To—The Chief Secretary to the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. , Political Department.
With reference to your letter No. 8298, dated 22nd December 1905,1
have the honour to inform you that last week I visited the Port of Jibouti in
company with General E. J. E. Swayne, C.B., Bis Majesty’s Commissioner
and Commander in-Chief of the Somaliland Protectorate, and to now forward
the fun her communication indicated in paragraph 28 of my letter No. 6630,
dated the 29th October last.
2. Erom the attached copy of a note of the interview which was held
with His Excellency the Governor of Jibouti on the 5th January 1906, it will
appear that very little information was afforded by that official, and also
that he was unable to consider any further co-operation in the matter of
checking the illicit arms traffic, in the absence of instructions from his
Government.
3. I need not further remark upon the fact that an indiscriminate traffic
in arms actually does take place between the African and the Arabian Coasts of
the Red Sea. This Protectorate is full of cheap Erench rifles and cartridges,
and there is no doubt that this supply emanates from Jibouti. I have every
reason to believe that a considerable amount of direct traffic has quite recently
taken place between Obokh and the ports situated on the west coast of this
Protectorate, and it was only last month that I received credible information
of the successful landing of a direct shipment of 50 rifles and 10 boxes of
ammunition to Ras-al-Arab. Only recently, also, I have received credible
information of the purchase of French rifles at Lahej, and of their subsequent
sale at the port of Haura, on the east coast of the Protectorate.
4. I have no reason to doubt that a traffic of this nature still actively
continues. Arms are imported on the coast lying to the west of Aden, are
transported overland, many of them via Lahej, to the ports lying to the east
of Aden. And from there, of course, re-importation to the coast of Africa
via the Italian Protectorate or portions of the British Protectorate is compara
tively simple, and in all probability considerable. The mere fact that Erench
rifles and ammunition are plentiful and cheap on the littoral of this Protec
torate constitutes proof of the traffic. And from the above it is evident that
the Somali Coast, as well as this Protectorate, is undoubtedly affected.
5. It will be observed from the attached note of an interview that Doctor
No. 136. dated 6th December 1901, Africa. OrmifereS, « hilst Committing himself to
the general statement that the export or
arms to Yemen was forbidden, was nevertheless unable to define the extent
of the littoral affected by this prohibition.
It will^be remembered that in December 1901 Sir E. Monson made men
tion of M. Singer’s statement that the French Government were powerless
prevent the shipping at Jibouti of arms on vessels destined for ports outside
the zone in which the sale of arms and spirituous liquors was forbidden, and
that this attitude of the French Government was also referred to in Govern
ment of India despatch No. 83, dated 21st April 19Q4, to the Secretary of