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still a channel for (he water of tho Euphrates. When Sheikh Salman also obtained
the lands from Suleiman Pasha they wore in tho same condition ; for his
dam across, the Karoon had again checked the force of the western branch
of tho river and the Euphrates accordingly again disembogued a part of its
water by tho Bamishir channel, irrigating ifalfar and Mohammerah as it
passed them. But since tho last destruction of the dam of the Karoon and
At prciont owing to changes in the conrso of tim accordingly from a period long anterior
Tivor,tl belong* geographically to KlmziiUn. (,0 tllO foundation of UlC present town
of Mohammerah, it must be evident that according to the old basis of distribu­
tion, the lands being watered by the Karoon, which has a socond time appropriated
to its own stream tho bed of tho llatlar, must belong geographically to Persia.
I know not upon what grounds Persia claims the left bank of the Shat-cl-
Arah, unless, indeed, it ho that the lands woro at one time occupied by the
Chaab, whom she regards as her subjects. The right of Turkey politically and
geographically to all the country which is dependent for its cultivation on the
water of the Shat-ci-Arnb, is, I think, unquestionable.
Tho frontier between the two Empires ought to he defined, according to
sk.tcb o( the frontier». it .h«M bo dr..-., in con. geographical precedent-, by a line drawn
formity with the basis of the old distinction between length way 8 through the island of Abadan
lrak-i-Arab .od Kbu.i.un, from tho sea on its southern side to its
north-western point and then from the angle on the right bauk of tho ITaffar
canal formed by the junction of that stream with the Shat-el-Arab midway
between the two rivers to the desert from wlxmcoit would run up, along the old
boundary parallel to the river, and at a distance of some six or seven miles from
its banks passing between two ruined landmarks callod the Kooshk-i-Ujum and
These landmarks are in the desert about 7 miles K<'0Slllv'i* BuSsOl'Uh and pi'OCCCtli Ilg Otl to tllO
north by cast of Bussorali. village of t.lie Sowaib upon tho Kerklia.
Above this point the determination of the line if contested, would he attended
I
with great difficulty, for the whole of the country, inhabited at present by tho
Beni Lam is within the geographical limits of Khuzistau, while on the other
hand, at the time of Sultan Murad’s treaty, Iloweizah is said to have paid
tribute to Bussorali, but fortunately those questious aro not subject of dispute.
The line which I have thus marked in accordance with what ap­
Circs to Turkry all tho lauds on llic Shat-ol-Arnb pears to be strict geographical pro­
and to rcriia*.Mobauimorab. priety, lias a due regard, I think, to the
claims both of Turkey and Persia. Turkey, indeed, on the grounds of
tho alloged depondency upon Bussorali of the Pashas of Gubau, claims
the dry bed of the eastern branch of the Karoon, as her boundary in that direc­
tion, aud she desires to draw a line from tho point of division of that channel
from tho Karoon, where the ruins are still to be seen of tho Sheikh Salman’s
dam, directly across to tho landmarks of Kooshk-i-Ujum and Kooshk-i-Busso*
rah. The entire tract, however, between the old Gubau river and the immediate
vicinity of the banks of the Shat-el-Arab is a desert and hardly worth disputing.
The only valuable professions which she would loso in confining herself to tho
frontier which I have traced, would be the lands along both banks of the Haffar
canal where the double town of Mohammerah is now situated, but to these lands
she cannot advance any valid geographical claim, and for many years they
have been practically lost to her.

Modern History of Mohammerah.

I propose to conclude my memorandum with a few observations on the
modern history of Mohammerah.
Modern history of Mohatmnerab.
The town as I havo stated, was built in about A. D. 1812, by Mccrdow
Building of tbo two forts of Mobammerab aod and his son Hajee Yoossoof, according to
Koot-cl-Sheikli. tho orders of Sheikh Ghais, at the time
when tho Chaab, withdrew boforc tho Montefik from the left hank of tho Shat.
The original construction was a mere petty fort in oither side of the Haffar
canal, which at this point is about 150 yards across.