IOR/L/PS/12/2180

The file opens with a communication received from the HM Consulate-General at Batavia [Jakarta], informing the Aden Political Resident (Bernard Reilly) of formal approaches made to the Consulate to export arms and ammunition from Java [Indonesia] to Mokalla [Mukalla]. The communication encloses the following:

• A copy letter from Paulus Johannes Hartman, an arms dealer based in Batavia, requesting permission to export arms to Mokalla, and to establish a branch of his business there (folio 14).
• A translation of a report by the Dutch East Indies Dienst der Algemeene Recherché, on information received from Hellerman & Company, arms dealers, about an approach from Shaikhs Saleh bin Abdulla Nahdi and Sultan bin Muhammad Nahdi to export arms and ammunition to Aden (folios 15-16).

The file also contains a response from the Aden Political Resident communicating the policy of restricting arms sales to recognised tribal chiefs, which states that arms can only be purchased from the Residency armoury. In response, the Consul-General at Batavia promises to forward the information to all relevant officials in the Dutch East Indies [Indonesia], and also supplies information on small arms which had recently been approved for export to Mukalla.

The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the end of the correspondence (folio 1).