Page 287 - PERSIAN 4 1899_1905

RESIDENCY AND MASKAT POLITICAL AC1KKOY you THE YEAR MOl-lffO*. 3

for liis ocsrcssion on Ncjd territory. For three months ho remained in the
vicinity of Koweit, which was kept in a slate of constant excitement. Early
in January, apparently finding that lie could expect no active support from the
Turks, ho returned to his own country.
•Yb'.ut the middle of January, an event of great importance occurred in the
capture hv Abdul Aziz, the son of Abdul ltahmaii-bin-Fcysnl, of Hiadli, the
oid "Wahabi capital. Abdul Rahman is the brother of AbdulIah-bin-Feysal,
tho last of the Wahabi Amirs, and it wrs lie who headed the revolt of
tlic partisans of the Al Sand dynasty against Muhammad 11m Rashid, the Amir
of Neid, in 1 SOI, which met with no success. Up to the present, the Amir of
iseiil has taken no active measures against Abdul Aziz, who has strengthened
his authority, at Riadli and gained many supporters.
liis Royal Highness the Salar-cd-Dowlch was Governor-General of Arabistan, Jrobistan.
Luristan, etc., throughout the year. The Azanves-Sultaneh was Lieute­
nant-Governor of Arabistan from the middle of July to the end of the year.
AVitli the exception of the districts controlled by the Shaikh of Mobnmmerah, the
country has been in a state of marked disorder.
Ilis Royal Highness the Shoa-cs-Sultaneh, second son of the Shah, was Fars and^
appointed Governor-General of Fars, and arrived at Shiraz towards the end of Pcrs,ftn oar‘ *
April. Disputes ensued with the Kawam-ul-Mulk, who was summoned to
Tehran with his son, the Bcglcr J3cgi. The Shoaes-Sultancli ruled Fars with a
stroug hand and kept good order in the country. He docs not, however, appear
to have been popular.
In January the Ivawam returned to Shiraz and intrigues recommenced.
Early in March, the state of affairs was very disturbed : the Prince was sum­
moned to Tehran and left about the middle of March, the Kawam, who had also
been summoned, following him a few days later. A new Governor-General,
Asaf-cd-Dowlcli, has since been appointed and is now on his way from Tehran
to Shiraz.
No political event of particular interest occurred at Lingah during the year.
Lieutenant Hunt, the British Vice-Consul and Assistant Resident at Bunder
Abbas, was invalided and took leave to England early in the year. Major
PhUloit, who was appointed to act as Consul at Kerman, in June, was placed in
charge of the Bunder Abbas Vice-Consulate. Captain E. U. S. Boxer was
appointed to the post in January.
Mr. Whitby Smith proceeded on leave on IGth April, returning to India on 8- Persian Baiu-
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the 23rd December. During his absence, Mr. R. If. New officiated as Director, chistan.
Persian Gulf Telegraphs, and was in Political Charge of the Makran Coast.
Adairs in Persian Baluchistan have been at times very unsettled during the
year,—Mir Mahmud Klian* brother of Alxli Ivhan, Chief of Dashtyavi, having
given a great deal of trouble, threatening to attack Cbarbar and looting in its
vicinity, llashem Khan remained as Governor at Bampur and appeared to he
quite unable to maintain order in the district.
Twelve slaves were given manumission certificates during the year. Pour Slave Trad©.
Africans, who had taken refuge at Bassidoro and were living there, were, at
their own request, sent hack to Zanzibar.
During the year under review, four eases of piracy on British Indian sail- io. Piracies,
ing craft occurred in the neighbourhood of the Shatr-el-Arab bar. The Shatt-el-
Arab itself is well patrolled by the Mocz-cs-Sultanch, and the pirates, who
come from places on the river, watch the opportunity of vessels being becalmed
on the bar or waiting for the tide, to carry on their piratical operations. The
difficulty of dealing with these piracies is that the authority within the river is
divided, one bank being Turkish territory aud the other Persian, and each side
throwing the responsibility on tho othor.
Tho following ships of His Majesty’s Navy havo been in the Gulf at various ll. Navy.
times during the year:—II. M. S. Marathon, Pomonc, Fox, Perseus, Cossack
Pigeon, Lapicing, Redbreast, Assayc, and Sphinx. 9
Of Foreign Navies, the Russian cruiser Varyag arrived at Busliiro on
15th December. She left for Koweit on tho 21st and, on hor wav down tho
Gulf, visited Lingah and Bunder Abbas. The French cruiser Catinat arrived
at Bushirc on 15th February, having visited Bunder Abbas and Lin^ah on her
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