"ملخص للأحداث الرئيسية. ١٩٠٨" [ظ‎‎٥‎٠] (١٥٦/١٠٥)

was at tliat time about 20,000 gallons per diem, and it was expected that the
output would be greater as soon as the boring could be deepened.
At the close of 1907 the Consular Escort at Ahwaz was increased by 20
Indian sowars and two British oflicers to act as a guard oyer the Oil Company’s
works. This guard was continued throughout the year, towards the end of
which the question of building permanent quarters for the men was raised.
Early in the year after the arrival of the Indian Guard the Bakhtiari
Khans evinced a desire to carry out their promises made to the Oil Com
pany, and during thev remainder of the year no difficulties on that score were
experienced. f
In July it was reported that the Oil Syndicate would probably want to
acquire ground on Abbadan Island, opposite Muhammareb, for the location of
their oil reservoirs.
During the year under review the arms traffic through Persia to
Afghanistan assumed a most serious aspect, being carried out on a consider
ably larger scale than in the past. The Consular Trade Report forMasqat
for 1905-06 gives the total value of the arms trade during that year as
Bs. 1,071,380, whilst that of 1907-08 shows it as Rs. 4,185,390. it is apparent
that the coming of the Hamburg-American steamers to the Gulf has given an
immense impetus to the trade from the Continent, and that a greater proportion
of the trade is falling into the hands of non-English manufacturers. The Navy
have made great efforts to stop the trade at sea between Masqat and the Persian
coast, and these have been ably seconded by information derived from a
chain of posts connected by telephone along the Indo-European Telegraph line,
inaugurated under the supervision of Mr. New of that Department. However,
the results obtained were small; a couple of dhow r s were captured, and the
cargoes of a few more thrown overboard. On the 22nd Jd ay a boat belonging
to H.M S. “Proserpine” having approached the Makran coast in pursuit of
a dhow, was fired on and two British blue-jackets lost their lives. At this time
it was reported that the Afghan arms-runners in the neighbourhood of the
Makran coast totalled a couple of thousand men. As it was feared that an
attempt might be made to avenge the loss suffered from the capture made by
the “ Proserpine ” by an attack on the British station at Jashk, a detachment of
men was landed at that place from the “ Proserpine, ” but w 7 as shortly after
wards replaced by a detachment of 50 Native Infantry from India. At the end
of Hay the Robat detachment was increased by a force of 50u men, owing to
rumours that the gun-runners intended to revenge themselves on the post.
The Persians were at the same time induced to send out armed men from
JSistan, Bam, etc , to attempt to stop the caravans, but the results accomplished
by this means were nil. It is true that the Persian force from Sistan did cut off
the heads of a couple of stragglers they found from one of the caravans, but
the effect of this was only to incense the Afghans and to lead them to talk of
taking revenge on the Persians in Sistan, Besides the capture by the Navy of
the couple of dhows already mentioned nothing was attained in the way of
stopping the caravans, which were enabled to reach Afghanistan in safety. One
caravan was reported to have consisted of over 1,000 camels, with about 750
men, carrying about 12,000 rifles and 2,000,000 rounds of ammunition. It
was estimated that at least 30,000 rifles and three million rounds of ammunition
were imported into Afghanistan during the first half of the year. In June it
uas reported that the arms caravans had all left the coast and that the greater
number had arrived at their destinations. The activity of the mem of-war was
therefore relaxed and the Jashk reinforcement withdrawn. The Robat re
inforcement was withdrawn about August. At the commencement of the winter
and also of the arms-running season, the question of taking steps to stop the
trade again arose, but it was decided that unless the trade could be stopped at
Masqat itself by diplomatic arrangement, the only course open was that of
N aval operations on a considerably larger scale. The Jashk garrison was, how
ever, reinforced by 50 men about the middle of November as a precautionary