Page 539 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947

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Iranian Navy (continued)
At about the same time a number of the ex-Navy'o
river craft and the tug "Neyrou" were returned, Further
restitution of vessels is to follow as soon as re­
conditioning has been completed. All this has led to
expectations of the Persian Navy's revival.
On the 8th of July, the Steam Yacht "Ivy" sank
at her moorings alongside the Naval Base jetty, its hull
having rotted from disuse and lack of repair. Its
salvage was fixed as a Naval responsibility, but
came
eventually, at the end of the year, the Admiralty __
to the decision that salvage operations would not be
undertaken by them because they would be uneconomical.
The Persians are now considering the sale of the vessel
as scrap.
Security*— Widespread pilferage of commercial and.
military cargoes continued, as also incidents of hooliganism.
The former has been kept in check by the activities of the
Port Security authorities, aided by the Field Security
Section. Hooliganism was dealt with by expelling under
Military Governorate Law, many of the loafers and other
undesirables from the town.
In about the middle of the year, robberies in the
European residential areas of Abadan had so increased in
number, and became so daring in character, that the
question of establishing a corps of special constables,
recruited from among the European employees of the Company,
was considered. The proposal was dropped however, owing
to administrative and practical difficulties.
The departure of Allied troops from Persia, and
the inadequacy of the Police and Gendarmerie forces in
this area, are likely to encourage an increase in thefts
and smuggling, in the towns, and of brigandage on the
trunk roads which run mostly through tribal territory.
To counter this threat, it has been decided that in the
interim period while the Police and Gendarmerie forces
are being brought up to their required strength, the
Persian military forces should be used to buttress them;
and, to ensure co-ordination of the activities of these
three Services, the General Officer Commanding, Khuzistan
Army Division, has been appointed as the co-ordinating
authority in the matter of security in the Anglo-Iranian
Oil Company's areas and in the event of operations.

Smuggling and piracy, of the latter of which there
were a few incidents in the vicinity of Gusba, at. the
mouth of the Shatt-al-Arab, were sought to be countered
by the establishment of the International River Patrol,
which is composed of a few motor launches j each of which
comprises a crew of Iraqi and Persian Police and Customs
personnel, commanded by a British Military Policeman.

At the beginning of December, there came to light
a quite unexpected source for the illegal acquisition of
arms: the crews of American merchant, vessels visiting
Abadan from Far Eastern ports were discovered to be selling
locally, Japanese weapons which they had been given as
souvenirs, or purchased at places like Singapore. A numbei
f?ese weaPons were seized by the Field Security Section
£«Llne..act being sold, and the control measures which
nave since been taken, have ensured the drying up of this
source cf arms traffic.

VI.