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‘Masqat Arms Traffic. 1908–1909.’ [43v] (91/128)
The record is made up of 1 volume (60 folios). It was created in 1909. It was written in English and French. 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.
50
(7) A long rifle called “ Torwakha * Rs.
by the Afghans, Its bore is a
little bigger than the Martini-
Henry and it has a bolt like a
303 which can be taken out.
It is a heavy rifle. Single
loading .. • • 25
(8) Rifles almost same as the
above, only a little shorter. There
is a slight difference in the car
tridges. The bands of this rifle
are brass, as is also the butt
plate, and it is consequently
called “ Zerwakhai ”* to dis
tinguish it from No. 7 ; in which
the bands and butt plate are
browned .. .. • • 20
13. Two Arab-owned dhows were
crossing over from Batinah to Bunji. A
storm arose in the night, and very early
in the morning they found themselves
opposite the European holdings at Jashk
and in close proximity to the gun-boats.
The larger of the two dhows had one
Afghan, Shah Dad, and nine Arab sailors
on board.f The Arabs wanted to throw
the rifles over board but Shah Dad threat
ened to shoot them all and got them to
make a bolt for it down the coast while
it was still dark. This they did, and
they drew the boat up in a small creek three
miles below Jashk and, sending to Barkat
Khan for men, they unloaded the arms
there and stored them within 60 yards of
the shore. They remained here three days
with Shah Dad keeping watch over them
until camels arrived from Zara vat.
It was said that the Customs sent camels
to take the rifles away, but Shah Dad
fired on them and they fled.
* Tor = black.
Wakhai = band (or rin^).
Zer = yellow.
Probably an 11 mm. Mauser of old pattern.
Capture of dhows by gun-boats.
t(Tho purchases of cur man and his party
were on board this boat.)
The small boat was less fortunate. It
was carrying arms belonging to Kharotis,
but there were no Afghans on board.
It got separated from the bigger boat and
was captured. It is said that 700 rifles
were taken on this boat. The second
dhow
A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean.
was captured near Bunji. It is
said that it contained 1,500 rifles. Among
these w^ere 220 rifles given to Janai on
credit by Ali Khan bin Musa Khan.
About this item
- Content
Bound volume containing two secret reports, both authored by Colonel Wilfrid Malleson (referred to as Division of the Chief of the Staff in the first report, and Assistant Quarter Master General for Intelligence in the second), and both issued by the Division of the Chief of the Staff in 1909.
The first report is entitled Statistics regarding the Masqat [Muscat] Arms Traffic (Revised.) (ff 4-16), and contains several appendices and fold-out tables giving details of: caravan routes along which arms trafficking is carried out on the Makran coast; total values of arms and ammunition imported into Muscat and other Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ports; importers and (European) exports of arms.
The second report is entitled Special Reports on the Masqat Arms Traffic, Season 1908-09 (ff 17-60), and comprises a number of reports on the arms trade through Muscat, submitted by ‘secret agents’, and a map illustrating the arms traffic from Muscat to Persia, Baluchistan and Afghanistan (f 59). The report also includes two appendices, lettered G and H. Appendix G is a letter (in French) dated 28 October 1907, from M Pick to Messieurs Malcom and Company of Muscate [Muscat]. Appendix H comprises lists (in French) of arms for sale, with prices given in French francs.
The voluime includes a map illustrating the Muscat arms traffic, dated 1909, indicating routes taken by the Muscat arms trade from the Persian (Makran) coast and inland, into Persia, Baluchistan and Afghanistan (f 59).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (60 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 62; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
Pagination: this part also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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‘Masqat Arms Traffic. 1908–1909.’ [43v] (91/128), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/289/A, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100049315702.0x00005c> [accessed 20 April 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/289/A
- Title
- ‘Masqat Arms Traffic. 1908–1909.’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:35v, 38v:61v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence