Page 476 - PERSIAN 4 1899_1905

4 ADMINISTRATION REPORT ON THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL
Mnttors at Koweit have boon generally quiot and the "Wahabi success is
likely lo strengthen Sheikh Mubarck’s position.
VII.—Fornlan His Royal Highness the Salar-ed-Dowlch has been Governor-General of
Arnbintan.
Arabistan throughout the year. The state of the province is said to have been
worso than ever, and the Shushter and Dizful districts have bocn very unsafe.
His Excellency the Sirdar Aria, Governor of Mahommerah, has been for
the last few months in camp on the Karun, where ho is engaged in making au
arrangement with the JBcni Truf Arabs for the payment of their outstanding
revenue.. At one time it seemed likely that hostilities would bo resorted to, and
some soldiers with guns have been sent from Bushire and Shushtcr to join tho
Sirdar Arfa. Lator accounts seem to point to tho likelihood of the Beni Truf
submitting and an amicable arrangement being arrived at.
Mr. McDouall, H.B.M.’s Vice-Consul, proceeded on leave in June and
was succeeded by Major Burton, 17th Bengal Cavalry, who left again for India
on Mr McDouall’s return in February.
Lieutenant Lorimer, I.A., was appointed His Majesty’s Vice-Consul for
Arabistan, and arrived at Ahwaz to take up his appointment in the end of
January.
The Russian Consul-General at Bushire visited the Sirdar Arfa in March
and presented him with the Russian Order of St. Stanislas.
VIII.—Pars and (1) Shiraz.—The Asaf-ed-Dowleh left Shiraz on the 26th March 1903, being
Persian Coast. succeeded by the Ala-ed-Dowleh, who arrived in Shiraz to take up his appoint­
ment as Governor-General on the 17th April 1903, accompanied by the
Kawam-ul-Mulk. The new Governor-General soon showed his strength and
the town and surrounding districts have not been so safe for many years.
It was entirely due to the Ala-ed-Dowleh’s Grm attitude and judicious proceed­
ings that there was no outbreak in Shiraz during the summer of the JBabi
troubles, which took place in other towns of Persia.
The new Governor-General also showed himself to bo most energetic in the
way of carrying out S3uitary reforms in Shiraz, and generally repairing the
palace and other Government buildings which were rapidly falling into ruins.
The Ala-ed-Dowleh left Shiraz for Bushire, where he arrived on the 15th
November, having been deputed by the Persian Government to meet His
Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General of India at Bushire. He return­
ed to Shiraz on the 23rd December and left for Tehran on the 21st February,
having been summoned to the capital to attend the meeting of Provincial
Governors which had been convened for the purpose of considering certain finan­
cial reforms. It is not known yet whether he will return as Governor-General
for the New Year.
A deputation from the Aligarh College arrived in Shiraz early in Septem­
ber for the purpose of explaining to the Shirazis the advantages of the educa­
tional system at Aligarh. They returned to India in October with a few pupils,
who wished to join the college.
Mr. George Grahame, the newly appointed Consul for Shiraz, reached
Shiraz in November.
The Resident visited Shiraz in Jane, returning to Bushire at the end of
September.
(2) Ling ah.—Sheikh Mahomed bin Khalifah bin Saeed, the ex-Arab
Chief of Lingah, arrived from the Arab Coast with 12 followers in the end of
July, and went into the mountains near Lingah. He then wrote to the
Deputy Governor, the Residency Agent and others, stating that he had no in­
tention of creating disturbances, but merely wished to lead a guiefc life and
he asked them to intercede with the Persian authorities on his behalf, so that b®
might be allowed to settle down in 6omo place near Lingah. Later on bo
asked Syed Hashim, the leading Mulla, to obtain a safe conduct for him*
This was done but the Sheikh refused to trust it without some further guaran­
tees for his safety. Some sirbazes with the Mujir-es-Sultaneb, the brother of
the Governor of Bushire, were 6ent to Lingah. 8heikh Mahomed left for Katr
towards the end of November.