Page 30 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

8 Part I.

Tho Annual tribute lmd been in arrears for years, aud two of tho Turkish
Governors, who tried to exact tho arrears were put to death. At length Ncjib
Pasha took tho matter in hand in earnest and determined to reduce tho
Persians to subjection. A Turkish force was despatched, and on refusal of tho
Persians to pay tho tribute, Korballa was taken by storm in January 17*13,
and somo 5,000 Persians were massacred. The dreadful massacre lod Porsia
to tho brink of war with Turkey and threatened to break off the negotiations at
Erzeroum, but by tho intervention of tho British and especially the tact of
Major Itawlinson tho differences were made up.
23. Tho following report dated 31st May 1843, sent by Colonel Taylor to
the British Envoy at Tehran is the earliest
See coniulUtioo, 8Iit Uoy 1843. No*. G3*56.
connected account wo have got in our re­
cords :—

No. 2, dated tho 81 st May 1843.
From—LiSDTiHiNT-CoLONBt TiYLOB. Political Agent, Turkish Arabia,
To—LiiOTBNiNT-CoLONBL SiiRii, Ilor Britannic Majcsty'e Envoy, otc„ etc., etc., Tehran.
I have had tho honour to receive your despatch of 7th ultimo, relative to tho projected
attack of Kerbela and the intention attributed by tho Governor of Kcrmanshah to Ahmed
Pasha of Soolcimaoiah of making an nggressi »n on tho Persian territory in tho direction of
Zohnb, particularly os ho was employed in collecting a largo body of troops.
On tho subject of Kerbela I had the honour to address you on tbo 26th ultimo, and I
regrot to say that, my endeavours to delay or to avert tbo attack and capture wero inefficient.
"When your despatch, and that of Count Medom, to tho Pacha reached me, the Pacha was
Btill in. camp, whither tliov wero forwarded through the Kehyah; and now after his
arrival in the city and subsequently, to two interviews wiih him I have to forward his own
full replies, as woll as my impression of his views derived from his conversation.
For many years past ICcibela has defied the authority of Baghdad ; rcjoctcd and put to
death its officers ; managed the interior details of government for itself, and paid or rofused
an uncertain revenue, when and how it pleased.
The power of government was in the hands of a constantly renewed land of malefactors,
ruined outlaws, and dishonest runaways, from evory corner and tribe of the Pacbalic, even the
Turkish soldiers, and lower employes (lying from tho fear of merited punishment; debtors
from their creditors, public delinquents from the just severity of the law ; wero all wclcomod,
protected, employed in arms, and denied to all tho reclamations of iho Turks.
These subsisted by exactions on the remaining population, which was composod of peaceable
immigrants from other places, pilgrims settled there from Persia, India and other countries; a
large proportion of tho ancient inhabitants of the town Moolahs and officials attached to the
shrines of Abbas and Hoc ssain, and a daily changing crowd of pilgrims.
All of these different bodies too have at various times complained to tho Paohas of the
acts of the league of outlaws. But those Governors wero too weak or too careless to punish
so that at length tho factious rule became the established one, and each quiet member of the
community compounded for the terms of residence in the best way he could.
The particular and legitimate interest felt by Persia iu Kerbela arises ohiefiy from their
peculiar and sectarian view of the sacred and holy character of the Imams interred thero ; for,
ns mere descendants of Mahomed, the Turks revere them with os pure an ardour ns tho
Persians and to tboir tombs tho Turkish sovereigns have in time past been munificent donors
and patrons. The Pacha, too, had no wish to offend Persia by attacking Kerbela; he desired
simply to remove a fnotious incubus pressing upon all and totally subversive of the just autho­
rity of his sovereign, which it was his bounden duty to establish and preserve.
On the arrival then at Baghdad of Najib Pacha he found Kerbela independent, it refused
him all aid or tribute of any kind ; it rejected his Government, the establishment oE its troops
or civil officers ; it even refused him as it bad done Allee Pacha before him admission to the
shrines.
He felt that this state of affairs should not last, that the rights and supremaoy of his
sovereign called for vindication and re-establishment and thutif he did not assert these he was
open to a just and sovere obloquy.
It was given out some weeks before he proceeded to Kerbela, that such was his Intention.
He invited the peaceable, and more numerous portion of the inhabitants to drive out tue
factions; he invited, and was apparently aided by tho Persian Agont, the Moojtabids, the
Porrian Princes and people of rank to co-operate in this work; but all the exertions of these
individuals, after numerous conferences and communications, failed in procuring moro from
the rebels, than the promise to receive into the town two or three hundred Nizam, themselves
retaining the town to Government and all other powers as they bad hitherto held them.