Page 359 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

327
MEMORANDUM.

Dependency of the Chaab Tribe.
There appear to bo two separate questions involved in the disputo at
present pending between the Governments of Persia and Turkoy on the subject
of Mohammerah. The one is the dependency of the tribo of Chaab. The other
the right of territory to certain lands, upon which portions of the tribe havo
Bottled.
In discussing the question of the dependency of the Chaab, it will not bo
necessary to follow throughout with any
Dopcndcncy of tho tribe of Chaab.
sustained minuteness the history and
movements of the tribe. The events which afford ai*gumcnts to support
tho claims of either Government to their allegiauce alone require to be particu­
larized.
A skeleton outline connecting these events together will suffico for tho
remainder of their history.
It is not questioned then by Persia, hut that at the period of the conclu­
sion of the treaty between Sultan Moorad
Early hiatory of tho tribe.
and Shah Tahmasp, the Chaab .were bond
fide subjects of tho Turkish Government, for they are known at that time, and
even long subsequently, to have idwqlt in
Originally Turkish aubjccls.
the marshes at the oonlluence of the Tigris
and Euphrates, and like nil tho neighbouring Arab tribes, to have paid to tho
Government of Buasorali a tribute named the Meeri Kalameyah for tho right
of pasturing thoir buffaloes upon Turkish lands.
The question of dependency becomes first open to dispute, when, about the
year A. D. 16831, the Chaab, owing to a season of unusual drought, deserted
the .marshes of Was it, and migrated to .the southward, fixing their abodes in
the tract of country, which at that time
Migration to Guban.
formed tho delta of the Karoou. It is
contended by Persia that as the lands which the Chaab now occupied were
situated within the territorial limits of Khuzistan, the tribe must be held, in
virtue of their immigration, to have transferred their allegiance to the Persian
crown. Turkey, on the contrary, affirms that neither wore tho lands, upon
which tho tribe settled within the Persian territory, nor supposing this point to
he conceded, .could the Chaab have suddenly denationalised themselves by
merely crossing the frontier. She further
Continued'dcpcndcnco upon .Turkey.
shows that practically tho dependency of
tho tribe upon Bussorah remained after tho immigration precisely the
same as before that event; for tho same amount of Meeri.Kalameyah was paid
by the Chaab to tho Turkish Government for pasturage on tho banks of tho
Quban, as had been exacted for their old lands in tho Wasit.marshes, and tho
annual dress of.investiture from Bussorah was continued to the Sheikh with­
out any reference to his change of .residence.
Tutting aside for the present the question-of territorial right to the lands
upon which the Chaab settled, it is clear to me that on their first immigration to
the district of'Quban, and for 50 or-60 years afterwards the tribe wore regarded
as Turkish subjects. Their numbers were too small aud their country too poor
to attract much attention, ’but in those essential points which are considered
by the Arabs to provo dependency, the payment of tho Meeri Kalameyah and
the annual receipt of a rObo of office, it is certain that the Sheikh of tho Chaab,
ns late as tho year A. D. 174.0, continued, as was to be oxpected, a dependent of
the-Govcmment of Bussorah. The only connection, indeed, of the tribe with
Persia up to this time was that they made certain annual presents of horses,
butter, etc., etc., to tho Afshar Chief of Doorak on acoount of'fees for pasturago
Oil the immediatebank of tho Guban branch of tho Iioroon, tho lands in that
quarter having been previous to thoir immigration in possession of effects of
the Afslmr tribe, who as the Chaab advanced fell ’hack and rejoined their
brethren on tho Jerrahi,