IOR/L/PS/10/308

The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, notes, and reports relating to the consignment of armaments to Muscat. The discussion in the volume concerns the complaints of British firms regarding the impounding of these armaments, following the enforcement of new arms traffic regulations. Following this some consignees refused to take delivery of the shipments or pay for them leading to the prospect of considerable financial loss for the manufacturers. The correspondence includes an enquiry from the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce as to regulations relating to importation of arms into Muscat.

Also discussed by British officials is the interpretation of the relevant regulations and documents. These include:

• The Board of Trade Journal (December 24, 1908, Volume LXIII, No. 630) with sections on openings for British trade, tariff changes and regulations, and shipping, mineral and agriculture (ff 141- 179);
• 'Agreement between the United Kingdom, France and Italy respecting the importation of arms and ammunition into Abyssynia (Treaty Series No.7, signed London, December 13,1906)';
• A notice 'Arms Traffic. Muscat Warehouse Rules, 1912. Notice by His Highness, Sir Seyyid Faisal bin Turki, GCIE. Sultan of Muscat and Oman'.

The principal correspondents in the volume include: the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Percy Zachariah Cox); the Political Agent, Muscat (Stuart George Knox); the Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department (Sir Henry McMahon); Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Edward Grey).

The volume includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.