Page 40 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

18 Part I.
hand over his territory to Sheikh Farte, ho surrendered himself and was
confined as a prisoner. Ho was rcleasod only on his ongaging to pay an annual
sum of 70,000 krans on account of tho revenues of Mohamtnorah and its
dependencies.
63. Sheikh Thamor who had been expelled from tho Kaab territory, first took
up his abode in Basrah; ho transported his wives and children to that city, pur­
chased lands, houses aud gardens and settled in the lands as a wealthy and in­
dependent gentleman. After a residence of 2 or 3 years in Basrah, Ncjib Pasha
invitfed him to repair to Erzoroum to givo ovidcnco before tho Commission that
sat at Erzeroum with regard to Kaab and Mohammerah and he returned from
that place about tho beginning of April 1844. His intention was to have merely
passed through Baghdad cn route, to join his family at Basrah, hut on tho
urgent representation of Sir H. Eawlinson of the inexpediency of permitting
him to approach tho frontier of Kaab during tho then unsettled condition
of that province, ho was detained at Baghdad for three months, when Nejib
Pasha in compliance with tho Sheikh’s pressing solicitations and tho consent
of Major Rawlinson, allowed him to go to Basrah on tho strict condition
that he by no means meddled in Kaab affairs. Tho Vali of Basrah was
ordered to koop a careful eye on tho Sheikh’s movements and actions. The
Persian Government pretended to be alarmed over this move of tho Sheikh and
complained of his makiug military preparations to attack Mohammerah. But
Major ltawlinson who made careful en­
Secret C.,datod 8th February 1815, Noa. 12-15.
quiries in the matter was satisfied that
there was no truth in these rumours (vide his letter to Colonel Sheil, His
Majesty’s Chargd d* Affaires at Tehran, dated 1st Soptembor 1814).
64. Notwithstanding these assurances, wo find that tho Persians despatch­
ed a body of 250 men from Dizful to Mohammerah, on the alleged ground of
apprehension of the vicinity of Shaikh Thamer. Soon afterwards a full regiment
of infantry with one gun was despatched by the Governor of Dizful to occupy
Mohammerah as a permanent and effective garrison. The ostensible object of
the expedition was to roalize the arrears of revenue. Its actual result was to
replace the uncertain dependency of the Kaab Governor by diroct authority
of Persia; for on the approach of the troops, from Dizful, Shaikh Jabir
evacuated the place and with a large portion of his tribe crossed the Euphrates
and joined the Montefik Arabs on the right bank of the river. The Persian
Commandant thereupon demanded of the Governor of Basrah tho immediate
extradition of Sheikh Jabir, and default of which he claimed to be permitted to
S-fS'SSSSS’SSSSSS
despatch to Sir S. Canning, dated 22nd January 1845).
65. The Porte strongly protested against the Persian occupation of
Mohammerah, which it claimed as being in Turkish territory, being on an
artificial canal (as the Hafar, it was contended, was) and not on a natural branch
of the K’arun. Colonel Sheil and the Russian Minister at Tehran, and the
British and Russian ambassadors at Constantinople agreed as to the propriety of
withdrawing the Persian garrison from Mohammerah pending a termination
of the conference at Erzeroum, but the Persian Government refused to. do any
such thing, unless Sheikh Jabir was handed over to them in the first instance.
Such an extradition could hardly demanded with justice by Persia, while
several Turkish political refugees were
Secret C., datod Gth June 1845, Noi. 12-14.
harboured in that country (Major Rawlm-
son's dospatch, dated 19th March 1845). The Persian Government then went,
further and made arrangements to build a commodious and defensible fort
on the Haffar in place of the then miserable mud walls.
66. About this time a large portion of the Kaab tribe crossed over the-
Shat-el-Arab to tlio Turkish side, and not
8ecrct C., dated 20th Decembor 1845, Not. 40-60.
exertions on tho part of Sheikh Fa 1
could succeed in inducing them to come back (Resident’s despatch, dated
August 1845.