Skip to item: of 327
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

File 868/1912 Pt 3 'Arms traffic: arrangements at Muscat for its regulation' [‎58r] (123/327)

The record is made up of 1 volume (160 folios). It was created in 1912. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

Transcription

This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.

Apply page layout

Dated the 2nd October 1912.
Prom—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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Bushire,
To—His Majesty's Consul, Basrah.
I attach an extract from the Manifest* of S. S. “ Mashona ” which reached
me recently from the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , from
• Not forw» r a . which you will see that 1,400,000 percus
sion caps were imported into Basrah, of which 900,000 by a foreign firm.
Such a large quantity would seem to go considerably beyond local current
requiiements, and I should he much obliged if you could ascertain anything
regarding the ultimate destination of these caps. It is possible they may be
ultimately destined for Persia.
Is the importation of percussion caps for commercial purposes permitted
by the Turks ?
No. 28, dated the 18th October 1912.
From —His Majesty's Consul, Basrah,
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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Bushire.
' Percussion caps and your letter of 2nd October (Confidential). The Mudir
of Customs says the import is not prohibited in Turkey and they do not appear
to be prescribed by the regulations.
The ten cases were landed at the Custom House as usual and all have now
been cleared except the one case for Adnan Saleh Zelkha, which is still lying
there. There is no European now in charge of the Austrian Ld. Co. or (Aktien
Handels-gesellschaft , but the native agent Non-British agents affiliated with the British Government. , Eliaho Levy, says he got out six
cases for detail sale as ordered by Basrah shop-keepers. The caps are used by
the Arabs in Montific and in Nejd, and he says they are not destined
for Persia. Moshi Isaac Zelkha states he sold his three cases to a Nejdi from
Kuwait, who had also bought up six other cases (presumably those sold by the
Austrian firm to the retail firms), and that the Nejdi intended taking them to
Kuwait to sell to Nejd Arabs, the season for these sales being from September
to November yearly. He too says they are not destined for Persia. He did
not know the name of the Nejdi from Kuwait who bought them.
The import of loaded cartridges of all kinds, rifie and sporting, is now
prohibited in Turkey, and the Arabs, especially those in Montific, are in diffi
culty as regards ammunition. It may be that they too are using these caps
for their old-fashioned arms and employing loose charges.
63
No. 2818, dated Bushire, the 27th October (received 4th November) 1912 (Confidential).
From Lieutbnant-Colonel Sib Percy 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. in
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
To The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department.
In connection with my letter* No. 2706, dated 24th October 191.2,
I have the honour to offer some observ-
• Serial No. 6i. ations on the present aspect of the posi
tion at A1 Bidaa, and in Katar generally, regarded alike from the point of
view of the arms traffic and of our comprehensive negotiations with the
Porte for the settlement of conflicting interests in the Gulf.
2. Pursuant to my letter No. 1660, dated 25th June 1911, authority was
accorded me to endeavour to get the Bin Thani family to agree to n . otlf y a
prohibition of the import of arms, a development which, it w^as considered,
would eliminate the remaining recognised loophole for the disposal of arms,
and would deprive the French smuggling clique at ^ ask .at of a colourab y
unprohibited destination for their wares. The Bin Thani family, however,
politely declined to come in with us, feeling no doubt that tbe financial
prospects of Katar as an emporium greatly surpassed those ot any inducement
we might offer in the way of a subsidy.

About this item

Content

The volume contains telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, notes, printed reports and two press-cuttings relating to the arms traffic in Muscat and arrangements for its regulation.

Issues discussed include:

  • French proposals regarding the suspension of the Sultan of Muscat's regulations. The approval of rules concerning the warehouse for ammunition;
  • French schemes to evade the Sultan of Muscat's regulations by trans-shipment;
  • instructions for H M Ambassador in Paris on the question of compensation for stock laid up in bonded warehouses;
  • Anglo-French diplomacy and negotiations for an exchange of interests and payment of compensation for armaments confiscated;
  • assurances to the French Government that no confiscation will take place pending arbitration if it is entered into;
  • enquiry from the Foreign Office on continuing export of armaments;
  • weekly naval reports from the Gulf, Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. and Katr [Qatar].

The file includes two press cuttings on folio 164: from the Daily Mail ('Britain and France. French Cruiser for Muscat. The Traffic in Arms.' 28 November 1912) and from The Daily Telegraph ('France and Muscat: An Unfounded Report', 13 September 1912).

The principal correspondents in the volume include: 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Percy Zachariah Cox; the Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; the 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. at Muscat; the Viceroy; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Sir Edward Grey; the Under Secretary of State, Foreign Office; the French Consul at Muscat; 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. Agent at Sharjah, Khan Bahadur Sheikh Abdul Latif; HM Consul at Basrah; the First Assistant Resident, Captain R L Birdwood; the Chief of Shargah [Sharjah], Shaikh Sagar bin Khaled.

The volume is part 3 of 7. The part includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, year the subject file was opened, subject heading, and list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence (f 2).

Extent and format
1 volume (160 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume. The subject 868 (Arms Traffic - Muscat) consists of 6 volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/235-240. The volumes are divided into 7 parts with parts 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 comprising one volume each and parts 4 and 5 comprising a volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 159; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located at the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the one leading flyleaf.

An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 99-159; these numbers are also written in pencil and are circled, but are crossed through.

Written in
English in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

File 868/1912 Pt 3 'Arms traffic: arrangements at Muscat for its regulation' [‎58r] (123/327), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/237, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100045719090.0x00007c> [accessed 29 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100045719090.0x00007c">File 868/1912 Pt 3 'Arms traffic: arrangements at Muscat for its regulation' [&lrm;58r] (123/327)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100045719090.0x00007c">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x000082/IOR_L_PS_10_237_0123.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x000082/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image