'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎139r] (282/386)

19
had been put on board the Lawrence was withdrawn. Again in 1893 the irn-
nortance of the Resident’s despatcli boat being armed was emphasized by certain
circumstances connected with threatened disturbances about Bunder Abbas.
It happened that complications with a neighbouring Chief were feared at a
moment when no vessel of the Koyal Navy was present m the Gulf Ihe difh-
culty passed over without any resort to force being necessary , liut m an omer-
eenev^of this sort it is plain that the Resident’s despatch boat should be capable
not only of self-defence with small arms, but of such offensive^ action as u ill
secure the Resident’s safety or enforce Ins authority. On the facts lefeirct
beinf reported to us, we contemplated urging on Your Lordships predecessor
a reconsideration of the matter, but his decision against allowing any Indian
Marine ship to be armed, had been given so recently that we determined not to
reopen the question at that moment. The events ot the last four years con-
nected with the trade in arms in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. have now let us to O'® ° 0
elusion that a further representation on the subject should he no longer delayed.
Your Lordship has been kept informed of the facts of that trade, which, m spi
of all that we have been able to do so far, continues to flourish unchecked . the
numbers of arms of precision which are being poured into Persia in tlus uay ai
a'serious menace to the peace, not only of that country but of our own borders,
whither as we have lately assured ourselves, a not inconsiderable number of
these weapons are now finding their way. Other methods of checking the trade
, Dr oved abortive, wo are now anxious to prosecute as vigorously as our
resources'in shipsmay^ermit a system of police patrols to capture smugglers
of arms The only vessel which we can at present employ on this woik is
Sphinx but if the Lawrence wore armed it would enable us to use her also
would thus double our effective strength. On this account, as well
Ssi. Hss inrisiSsS
W ^ r S vadd 0 thotTf r the armin“of the Indian Marine vessels were permitted we
G.o°uM fiofbetliUing to consider
two or three small fast gunboats o/“ A* dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. s b y whicl^arms are
patrolling the Persian coast an o ju er p are 0 f Qpjnion that the matter
smuggled from Maskat to fbe ^rsi n ■ earnestly trust that
k one of "reat importance to tne interests oi Luuia, .
Your Lordship wiU consider our representations with favour.
12
No. 5 (Confidential— Marine), dated Simla, the 10th August 1905.
y rom _Tlie Government of India, Marine Department,
To-The Right Hoh’ble St. John BaomuCK, His Majesty’s Secretary of State
for India.
TVitli reference to your Military despatch No. 53, dated oth
we hav'ethe honour to Lbmit as -TU ? tedour view^mtheproposals of the
A Imiraltv regarding the subsidised vessels of the East Indies Squadro .
2 The end of tlie present financial year will mark tbe termination ofjho
existing agreement with the Imperial Government ^^ of c ertain ships
paid from Indian revenues in consideration of the employment 01 ^ ^
of the Royal Navy in Indian waters 5 and the Ad“^ty h the
assembly of an inter-departmental conference at an eany uaiu