Page 369 - PERSIAN GULF ADMINISTRATION REPORTS V1

AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR TIIE YEAR 1S77-78. 5
4.—Nejd.

15. No change has occurred in the political position of Nejd,
'The Turkish Government are in occupation of El-Alisa aud the 6ea-ports,
whilst Abdallah-bin-Feysal is at Kiadh. The project at present in
favour is to promote a reconciliation between Abdallah and the Turkish
authorities, in view to his being made Governor of El-Ahsa on the part
of the Porte. Some negotiations are going on in this sense.

5.—Province of Fan and the Persian Coast and Islands.
1G. Ilis Itoyal Highness Prince Ferhad Mirza, titled “Mo'Temid-
cd-Dowleh/' remains Governor-General of Pars, and has succeeded in
maintaining the security of the routes in a perfectly unprecedented
manner. The Prince has a very etiicient assistant iu his son Prince
Awais Mirza, the “ Ihtisham-ed-Dowlah,” Governor of Bclibchan, who
usually makes a tour yearly through the southern districts of Fars. The
restoration and maintenance of good order has not been accomplished
without recourse to severities, a record of which would not be agreeable
reading.
17. The British Agent at Shiraz, Mirza Ilassan Ali Khan, pro­
ceeded in March, under the orders of the Government, to Tehran on
special duty, and has been succeeded temporarily by his brother llydcr
Ali Khan.
18. The weekly Persian post, which has been c>tablished !>otween
Hudiirc and the north, has been worked excellently. Further particulars
will be stated under the postal heading. A census was ordered to be
taken throughout Fars this year.
Bush i rc.—Ilaji Ismail Khan, the Deputy Governor of Bush ire, has
been relieved by Aglia Mohammed Bakir Khan, the present Governor.
The t{ lhtisham-cd-Dowlah,” who has a general supervision of all the
southern districts of this vicinity, visited Bushire iu February, and
proceeded to Shiraz by way of Dashti and Lar.
19. The relations with the local Government have been of a
satisfactory nature, and cases arising have been disposed of readily.
20. An event in. the annals of Bushire is the death of the prin­
cipal Persian merchant, Agba Mohammed Ali, styled the “ Melik-et-
Tortjar,” who was reputed to be the richest private person iu Persia. lie
died childless, and his property has devolved on his elder brother, Ilaji
Baba, a naturalized British Indian subject now residing at Bushire.

21. A grain riot occurred, said to have been at the instigation of
certain Mujtahids, or priests, and some wheat belonging to a British
Indian subject was plundered. The Acting Resident took prompt and
judicious measures, and the ringleaders were arrested, punished, and
forced to pay the full value of the grain stolen. Here, as at other porta
of the Persian Coast, there is a prohibition on the export of grain, which
is very largely evaded. Mohammed Hassau Khan, Chief of Borazjan,
has been kept prisoner at Sbiraz, and one of his 6ons was put to death
there by order of the Governor-General.