Page 343 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

Chapter XX. 311

tors at Tclicran—monoy from his Treasury equivalent to the plunder said to bo
with the Halcil family, the owners of Ahtcib, their slave and one of tlio pirates;
Ahteib (alias Hatab) is dead, and the evidence is conflicting whothcr his share
of tho plunder reached his owners or not (they resisted his capture iu August
last).
Idil. Colonel Herbert has addressed tho Charge d'Affaires at Teheran, and ex­
pressed a hope that he would consider tho evidcnco regarding the 6,200 Krans
taken from the Halcil family as the portion of plunder appertaining to Ahteib to
bo such a9 to warrant Mr. Thomson’s interposition in favour of its being retained
as a portion of the specie plundered. Colonel
* No. 9, dated 8lli March.
Herbert addressed* Itiouf Pasha, the Gov­
ernor-General, Baghdad, telling him that all the known pirates had been arrest­
ed with the cxcoptiou of four (two of them untraced, one recently killed, a
fourth still sought for), and that the total amount recovered was Rs. 28,915, of
which Its. 9,782 was obtaiued in Turkish territory and Its. 19,133 from Persian.
The sum of Its. 20,S72 formerly reported as recovered only realized Its. 20,296
(the rate of exchange varying) when paid over by Itiouf Pasha’s orders to tho
British India Steam Navigation Company at Basrah on-29th January,
I
142. Eiouf Pasha thonf ordered tho Mutesarif of Basrah to pay to tho
Agonls of tho British India Steam Navi­
f 2-lth Fcbrnarj.
gation Company tho Its. 20,631 realized,
less the Krans 6,200, or about Its. 2,080 deposit, i.e., 16,431 Krans or about
Its. 6,539.
143. Colonel Herbert wrote to Itiouf Pasha that all that appeared possible
having been accomplished he hoped authority would be obtained from the Porto
to make good the balance, which could only be calculated accurately on tho day
of payment. At tho same time ho repeated a hope that the Ottoman Govern­
ment would order the payment of fitting compensation to tho family of tho
murdered fireman, Ismail Khan, and the 13 wounded persons; he also acknow­
ledged appropriately the exertions of the Turkish authorities.
144. Tho 15,431 Krans realized Us. 6,729-15-0, and a further sum of Bs.
4,320-10-0 had been recovered by the Turkish authorities; total recovered and
paid to tho Agonts was 11s. 31,o47-6-0, leaving a balanco of Its. 10,702-10-0.
The trial of tho prisoners resulted in capital sentence on 9, life imprisonment
for 4, imprisonment for three years on 2, and for two years on 1, sentonco on
ono deferred : all the sentences await confirmation by the Porte.
145. Colonel Herbert brought to the notice of the Government of India tho
names of those to whom he was indebted—Itiouf Pasha, Mr. It. F. Thomson,
Prince Hamza Mirza, Haji Jaber Khan (Persian Governor of Moliamracrah),
Syud Abdul Rahman EiTendi (Nakib of Basrah), Nasir Pasha (Sheikh of
tho Montefik tribe), and Kassim Zohair Chelebi (President of tho Mercantile
Mujlis), and proposed that to the last four certain presents should bo given in
addition as some tangible proof of His Excellency’s appreciation of their good­
will.
146. As a mark of approval for Mr. Robertson’s imwearying exertion and
tact in obtaining information and carrying out instructions, Mr. Herbert pro­
posed a change in his titlo from British Agent (a name given to a native of tho
country where he serves) to that of Assistant Political Agent, a change entailing
no extra cost, and one which would enable the post to he filled by an officer from
India (the post is also Her Majesty’s Vice-Consulate), and would greatly
strengthen tho hands of tho officers.
147. The Government of India in July 1872 suggested to the Secretary of
Stato that tho Turkish authorities should ho moved to compensate the sufferers by
the attack on tho Cashmere and that the Secretary of Stato was again addressed
on the 31st January. Upon receipt of this last despatch from tbo Government
of India, tho Secretary of Stato invited the attention of Lord Granvillo to the