File 869/1904 Pt 1 'Arms Traffic: - Red Sea, Africa & Aden' [‎224v] (453/580)

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aid, His Excellency desires to suggest, for the consideration of the Government
of India, that the results of General Mason’s enquiries should be reported to
the Secretary of State, and that His Majesty’s Government should again be
urged to secure the co-operation of the Erench in the suppression or regulation
of the arms trade from Jibuti.
No. 187, 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 9th October 1901.
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,
To C. H. A. Hill Esq., C.I.E , Acting 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.
In reply to your letter No. 5661, dated the 16th September 1904, request
ing me to furnish you with a full report of the result of the enquiries made
by me in regard to the constant supply of arms coming to the Protectorate, to
which I had made reference in an earlier communication of mine, I have the
honour to ttate that the fact that arms were entering into the limits under
British protection was noticed by me, as already stated, in my tour in July
last to Dthala. What has transpired since will appear from the following
report.
2. The first step that I took was to have a conversation on the subject
with the Ahdali Sultan at Lahej on my return journey from Dthala. He then
requested me to recommend him to Government for a monthly sum of Rs. 800
or thereabouts whereby he may be enabled to establish police posts on the sea
hoard towards the west of Aden for the purpose of preventing the illicit impor
tation of arms through the places along the coast, especially Ras-al-Arah, via
which, as Government are aware, the traffic is carried on. I did not, however,
concur in the suggestion, as I thought that these posts could easily be evaded
*>y those engaged in the trade—an opinion which the Bombay Government
themselves have held in their letter No. 3822, dated the 22nd May 1902, to
the address of the Government of India.
3. As an alternative I suggested that if we could obtain information from
Jibuti, the main source of the supply of arms, as to when and to which places
the dhows with arms were sailing we might effect a capture. The Sultan fell
in with the idea and a plan was worked out and has been tried, arrangements
having been made for the despatch of special cipher telegrams.
4. Three or four such telegrams were received. But although on one
occasion I arranged for the H. M. S. Porpoise to try and effect the
capture of the dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. reported to be coming, the attempt proved unsuccess
ful. Again in September I received information of a dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. conveying arms
to Ras Imran. As I had no one whom I could send out, I communicated
with the Sultan asking him to do what he could, as he had his men at that
place, as would appear from the preamble of Government Resolution No. 1818,
dated the 22nd March 1899. He was also unsuccessful. A day or two later,
however, he sent in twelve rifles and two boxes containing about 2,400 rounds
of ammunition, saying that his brother had caught camels laden with these
arms and ammunition, hut had let the men go as they were hirelings.
5. What the cause of failure in both these instances may be—whether it is
because the information received from Jibuti was unfounded, or because of the
excellent system of signalling which, it is reported, the men engaged in this
trade have of reporting the appearance of vessels, etc., or owing to the Sultan
having proved apathetic—I am not in a position to say.
6. I would here bring to the notice of Government that I had again an
interview with the Sultan of Lahej this month at Sheikh Othman, when the
subject of the illicit traffic in arms was for a second time discussed. It was
again pointed out to the Sultan that large quantities of arms and ammunition
were finding their way into the Protectorate, and it was explained to him that
this was as much a source of danger to himself as to the British. He con
curred, hut when he was asked to assist in checking this trade he said that it
will he necessary for him to send large numbers of men to the various places