FROM MUSCAT TO THE MEKRAN COAST

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 155, 29 December 1910, Page 7

FROM MUSCAT TO THE MEKRAN COAST

It is only three years ago that the arms traffic from Muscat to the Mekran coast, and thence by caravan to Afghanistan, began to reach its present dimensions (remarked the St. James's Budget last month). Prior to IGO7, although about 5000 rifles were annually smuggled to the Mekran coast, yet comparatively few *were destined for Afghanistan. The vast majority were for the Baluci tribesmen of the Mekran and Biyaban coasts. In 1907 some 3000 rifles were purchased in Muscat by Afghan agents a~nd smuggled over to the coast of Persian Baluchistan. In 1908 this number had risen to over 10,000, and in 1909 some 20,000 rifles were purchased by Afghans to be run in the winter of 1909-10; but the naval forces captured about 10,000 of these rifles, and of the remaining 10,000 a large number have not yet left the Arabian coast. . This sudden influx of ai-ms of precision into Afghanistan and the NorthWest Frontier was viewed with the greatest apprehension by the Indian Government, who requested the Admiralty to take steps to put an end to it. It may well be asked for what reason the Pathan tribesmen on our borders are thus arming themselves. Elaborate arrangements were made by the Afghans for tho transport of their cargoes. Their agents arrived at Muscat in September; made their purchases, and arranged for the shipments by dhow. Caravans of Afghans, in all about 3000 strong, left Kabul in August and September, arriving on the coast about eight weeks later. They then separated, each party marching to and camping in the vicinity of the place on the coast to which it had previously been arranged that the cargo should be brought from' Muscat. As soon as these parties considered the coast clear they would send word over to their agents at Muscat to tell them to run the cargo over. R might sometimes be weeks, or even months, before they attempted to get their rifles through; but until October, 1909, when a regular blockade was inaugurated by Gaptain A. J. Hunt, R.N., of his Majesty's ship Fox, it must be admitted that they were generally successful. At the end of the cool season these caravans would assemble and follow two main routes through Kuhistan to the Helmund River, and. thence through Kandahar to Kabul. The' country between the coast and the Helitiund is for the most part little better than_ a desert, aud though nominally Persian, is, in reality a No Man's Land, each chief being master in his own district. - - -