File 869/1904 Pt 1 'Arms Traffic: - Red Sea, Africa & Aden' [‎64r] (132/580)

Proserpine,” which proceeds to Bombay to make good defects,
dock, and chip bottom, in readiness for re-commission.
8. Having endeavoured to show the difficulties and the inefficiency
of the patrol of the coast proposed by General Swayne, I must again
repeat the opinion expressed by me (Submission ISo. 152/49 of 29th
November 190o), that the only effectual way of dealing with the
question of the importation of arms into Somali Land lies in the hearty
co-operation of the British and Indian Governments, the latter as
regards the Aden Protectorate, and in an endeavour to induce the
Prench and Italian Governments to join us in checking the export of
arms to Africa and Arabia, and also in issuing orders to their officials in
Jibuti 1 and the Italian Protectorate to do all in their power to stop the
import of all arms should their measures to check the export not prove
fully effectual. . . .
The question of licensing dhows to fish in British territorial waters,
is, I think, sound, but hardly comes under my province.
9. While I can quite understand General Sway lie’s anxiety to obtain
the assistance of the Navy to help in cutting off the supply of arms
to the Somalis, and am also aware that, should trouble unfortunately
arise in his Protectorate in the future, he will be able to advance the
theory that the natives have more rifles than formerly, owing to my
attitude in the matter—still, I am willing to take that risk; firstly,
because there are now only two or three months in which there could
he any active trade in arms (south-west monsoon in May), and, secondly
and principally, because I trust that, the question having now been
so fullv raised and our relations with the Powers concerned being now
so cordial, steps may be taken to put this question on a satisfactory
footing at the fountain head.
10 In conclusion, there is one matter to which I must allude, that
of establishing telegraphic communication between Aden and Berbera
a distance of 148 miles. I attach great importance to tl- and would
submit for serious consideration, that a wireless installation is et up in
Aden and Berbera, in preference to a submarine cable being laid, as was
once proposed. While it is a fact that the wireless apparatus supplied to
the Somali Land Expeditionary Force failed, this failure was due to the
difficulty of "ettin 0 * a good earth and also sufficient height for the aerial
X neither of ^details would affect an installation at the sea a
Berbera and wireless would have the great advantage, especially at
such a point as Aden, where the whole of the traffic of ^
thnt nur shins would always be m communication uith it u it bout
aonroaching the port, and the same would hold good for a radius ot
orobablv 200 miles from Berbera, this being the actual distance at
S we exchange signals with Diamond Island Statmn after leaving
^“loToubt wireless is sometimes interfered by atmospheric especially
towards rii'dit-fall, in these climates ; but, in my opinion, its advantages
ouTweigb Us drawbacks; and, indeed,,
think it is very advisable to set up wireless at Aden uithout fmt e
del T; rec , ards the relative cost of a Marconi or other wireless
• F n f Z otirl the lavioo- of a submarine cable, I am unable to
installation, - ■ ° not tllink t ^ ie wireless would be the most
express an °P^n, but I d WO uld not be necessary to set
of buildings for and wages to operators
should be about the same for each nature ot telegraphy.
I have, &c.,
Edmund S. Po e,
B ear-Ad mi ral, Com mander -in-Chief.
The Secretary, Admiralty.