File 869/1904 Pt 1 'Arms Traffic: - Red Sea, Africa & Aden' [‎63v] (131/580)

leave the coast or be relieved to go to Perim or Aden to coal,
at the expiration of that period ; this would entail the services
of a second cruiser. As, however, one cruiser could not effec
tively patrol or control the Somali Coast east of Berbera, the
extent being too great, there would have to he at lea^t two
cruisers patrolling, and at least one as relief—three in all as a
minimum, and a fourth would have to be in reserve in case of
a breakdown of machinery or other accident.
5. The whole question of patrolling the Somali Coast by ships and
boats has, I believe, largely arisen from letters of Captain Eustace, of
the “ Fox,” to General Swayne, the Political Pesident at Berbera. His
letters ot the 20th and 23rd‘ September to that officer, when carefully
read, vary somewhat in their statements, and that of the 20th
September, eight piges in length, of which not a single paragraph is
numbered, is full of hearsay and gossip, almost outside the province of
a naval officer, and which it is impossible to verify; but, in order to
obtain as much information as I could, I sent each of the captains of
the ships a memorandum in the terms shown on the attached form, the
replies to which are included therein.
It will be seen that Captain Eustace attributes his lack of success to
the “inexperience of the officers and to a lack of informers,” the
former is not likely to improve, and the latter is a question of money;
money would run through informers’ hands on. this coast as water runs
through a sieve.
His last experience of boat cruising in the “ Eox,” last September,
near Perim, did not have satisfactory results in any way. It will
further be seen he is of opinion that gun running into British
Somali Land is now inconsiderable, and could be more cheaply and
efficiently suppressed by subsidies to ihe local Chiefs than by men-of-
war, and he also states that “at present the arms trade is almost
entirely with Arabia and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .’’
6. The general opinion out here is that all arms for Somali Land come
across from Arabia, from Jibutil, and some even from Sur near Muscat,
at the entrance to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and that little active attempt is
made even in the Protectorate of Aden to cheek the traffic in arms; no
check on it elsewhere.
Only in November last I received a report from Captain Eustace
stating that dhows with arms were leaving Muscat for the Somali Coast.
I wired to Muscat, but the Senior Officer, Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and 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, after careful enquiry, were convinced that it
was not true. I quote this to show that the matter is not lost sight of.
7. Erom paragraph 4 of this letter it will be seen that the squadron
under my command cannot attempt to deal effectively with the patrol
of the British Somali Land Coast alone, much less with that near dibutil
and in the Italian sphere of influence, without entirely disorganising it.
and that for the remainder of the north-east monsoon period (the only
time when such a patrol could be necessary), it is impossible for me to
spare more than the one ship doing duty as Senior Officer on the Aden
Division which could pay occasional visits to Berbera as usual.
The movements of the four cruisers under my orders will be as shown
below, and prove my statement:—
“ Hermes ” proceeds to Karachi about 12th March to wait on Their
Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales until their departure
from India on the 19th March, when “Hermes” proceeds up the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. till end of April (this being of considerable importance)
“ Eox ” will relieve “ Sphinx ” and “ Redbreast ” to refit at Bombay
about 20th Eebruary, and will remain in the Gulf until late in Anvil
when they will return there. * ’
“Perseus” escorts “Renown” to Aden on 19th March; then
remains as Senior Naval Officer on that Division, relieving