Page 29 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

Chapter I. 7
Potty acts of depredation continue to bo committed by the Kurdish IriUs upon tho
frontier but they do not appear to threaten any serious results. If the parties nro not predis­
posed to talco offonce, rodross may bo mutually afforded to tho sufferers by llio local authorities
on tho frontier, without any sacrifico of dignity or injurious consequence to their respective
Government.
Tho Pashalic of Sulintaniah subordinate to Baghdad noxfc claims attention.
Nejib Pasha hardly considers tho Government of Sulimaniah, ns at prosent constituted,
compatible with his own efficient oxcrciso of supreme authority, and ho would thus willingly
sco the hereditory succession in the Bnhan family to so extensive a province, exchanged for a
nomination to tho eldership proceeding directly from Baghdad. I attribute to this fooling
of impationco tho honourable reception which IIis Highness is prepaved to afford to Abdullah
Beg, a refugee from his brother Ahmed Pasha of Sulimaniah ; and I foresee that should
Ahmad Pasha takualnrin at Ihoopon cncouragomcut thus given to his enemy, and display in
consequence any signs of estrangement, advantage will at once ho taken of his alleged dis­
loyalty, to attempt the introduction of a more immediate and direct excrciso of the power of
Baghdad in tho affairs of Sulimaniah. Tim Kurdish pride would certainly revolt against this
mnasuro and disturbances might thus ensue, but so bitter is tho feeling of animosity entertain­
ed bv the Soonneo ICuads against their Persian enemies, that I hardly think under any circum­
stances of disaffection to Turkey, the tribes of Sulimaniah would bo brought to encourage or
invite tho renewed interference of a Slieeali Government in the administration of their province.
Detachments of the Pasha’s troops have been for sometime past in the field, employed
with the Arabs tribes of Khezzo.il and Summar. His Highness is desirous of substituting, as
Sheikh of the former tribe, a more orderly individual than the chief hitherto in power and
appearances promise the speedy accomplishment of this object without bloodshed or disorder.
There is no recent intelligence from the detachment employed with tho Sbamar, but it is
believed that the duties of repressing plunder and of strengthening tho authority of tho Chief,
upon which they were deputed, nro proceeding satisfactorily.
I have not heard of any fresh acts of outrage being perpetrated by the Pasha of Moosul
against the Nestoriuus of the Mountains. IIis Highness Nejib Pasha is informed of the lively
interest taken by the European powers in the fate of this unfortunate colony, and he lately
ordered the release and delivery to her friends of a poor Nestorian girl, who was brought down
as a slave from Moosul to Baghdad by a Mahommedan merchant of this place.
18. Tho elaborate investigations of the commission resulted in the Treaty*
of Erzeroum signed by Turkey and Persia
•Appendix 17 of Ailehison’s Treaties, (1692), Vol. X.
in May-184-7, Articles 1 and 2 of the Treaty
determine the boundary so far as it goes, and in articlo 3 provision is made for
appointing Commissioners for fixing the boundary line. Tho remaining
articles refer to other important matters, especially customs and tho treatment
of pilgrims.
19. In 1849 four Commissioners were appointed hy England, Russia,
Turkey and Persia for drawing the boundary line as determined in the Treaty of
1847. The Commissioners met at» Baghdad in May 1349, and at Mohammerah
in 1851. The survey was continued jointly hy the Russians and English until
1853, when the Crimean War broke out. Tho couutry surveyed extends from
Mount Ararat to the head of the Persian Gulf, and covers a width of 20 to 40
miles, within which tho boundary was to be finally laid down.
20. This unsettled state of the boundary line, has led to constant friction
between Turkey and Persia, of which a brief aoeounfc is given in pages 24 and
25 of Vol. X of the Aitchinson’s Treaties.
21. As tho delta of tho Karun and Euphrates with which portion of
the border land only we are concerned, tho Mejnorandum of Major liawlinson
of 1844 printed as appendix A. to this precis with the summary of the corres­
pondence iu our record paragraph 25 et seq, below, must bo read, and tho recent
pretensions of Turkey to Mohammerah and the Shat-cl-Arab are treated in
chapter XIV below.
(ii) Massacre of Kcrballa, 1843.
22. Tho Persians and other settlers at Kerballa and Najaf had for
long enjoyed a sort of Home Rule at those places, and the Pasha of Baghdad
exercised over them as little authority as he did over many of tho Arab tribes.