Page 70 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

43
Part I.
No. 17, dated Baghdad, Iho 23rd May 1819.
From-MAJon II. C. IUwlihson, Hor Brilnnnio Majesty’s Council at Baghdad,
To—His Exckmbnov tub Rigjit IIon'dlk Sib Stjutfoiid Caknino, a.c.ii., Her Britamrio
Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople.
Since I wrote my despatch No. 14, informing Your Excellency of the troubles in Rowan-
S. C„ 25th August 1810, Nos. 25-20. duz nnd the revolt of the Beni Lam Arabs; dis­
turbances of a still more serious nature/have
broken out among the tribes on the right bank of the Euphrates; and in this instance, the dis­
orders nro directly traceable to the corrupt and extortionato character of Nejib Pasha’s Gov­
ernment.
It appears that the lands watered by the great Hindiyeh Canal, and the other offshoots
from the right hank of the Euphrates, aro alono assessed iu the Registry which form tho
basis of Nejib Pasha’s contract with the Forte, at a sum of 3,560 purses ; yet Shoikh Wadee,
tbo Chief of tho Zohad, who has formed tho districts in question for tho present year, has been
permitted to raiso from them the enormous amount of Us. 21,000 purses; tho complaints of
tho Inhabitant’s Agricultural Arabs, who have thus found themselves suddenly reduced from
State of comparative adlucncc to complete destitution, proving of no avail against the money
bags of tho farmer, who has paid into Najib Pasha’s Treasury at tho lowest calculation during:
tho period in question, 10,004 purses, in excess of tho sum for which oredit has been given to
tho Porto. Tho intolerable severity of Shoikh Wndeo’s rules, and tho apathy of tho Govern­
ment to tho sulTorings of those subjected to his power; produced in due courso, tho result that
might havo been expected. Tho Aral)9 of tho Hindich, who, as hereditary cultivators of tho
Boil, arc perhaps the least prone to turbulence of any section of the Baghdad population, rose
generally throughout the district, drove out Sheikh Wadee and his myrmidons, and in tho
first flush of their success, plundered the public granaries and 6toro bouses, aud 6uch Other
property as fell in their way.
When the news of this outbreak reached Baghdad, just after tho departure of the last
post to Constantinople; Nejib Pasha, judging the case to ho ono of emergency, called upon
the Seraskien Aldi Pasha, to proceed in person to the Hindieh with a sufficient force; and to
put down tho insurrection at the point ot' the bayonet; but the Seraskien, already informed by
public report, of the antecedent circumstances, which palliated, if they did not justify, the
proceedings of the Arabs, refused to bo a party to this unconditional re-cstablisbmout of
Sheikh Wudee’s power.
He sent out a considerable force to prevent any further pillage or bloodshed; but at tho
samo time he directed tho Commanding Officer to adopt conciliatory measures, to pursue a
steady and impartial course of investigation into tho causes of the outbreak aud to await fur­
ther orders before engaging iu hostilities.
Nejib Pasha in vain protested against what His Excellency was pleased to call a tamper­
ing with insurrection, throwing all tue responsibility of consequences upon tho Seraskier, and
even threatening to denounco his conduct to the Porte. The Seraskier calmly replied, that bo
conceived the Arabs as subjects of the Forte to have rights not less sacred than those of
Nejib Pasha and his family ; that if such rights had been flagrantly outraged, resistance be­
came a duty which the Arabs owed to themselves, and that, he was only acting in accordance
with his instructions from tho Porte in exercising his discretion as to tho necessity of institut­
ing an enquiry before employing military force.
A few days back the Commanding Officer's report reached Baghdad, accompanied by a
detailed statement of (he grievances which had forced the Arabs into rebellion, and the Serus-
kicr, at once waited, on Nejib Pasha, and presented tho papers to him in person: Ilis Excellen­
cy is said to have been infuriated at being thus boarded by a Subordinate Officer. He refus­
ed to bold any communication with the General on matters of Civil administration, stigmatiz­
ed his conduct as in the highest degree dangerous to tho stability of the Government, accused
him of abetting insurrection to gratiFy a feeling of personal animosity, and finally called upon
him once for all to take the field, and sweep down all opposition before the complaints of the
insurgents were even granted a bearing to all which, however the Seraskier resolutely replied,
that he should direct the Commanding Officer to act for the present entirely on the depensive,
and that he should await orders from Constantinople before taking any more decided steps.
To-day I learn’that after much official correspondence, and after several stormy interviews
between tbe parties, it has been nrrangrd that two Commissioners, ono a Civil Officer, on the
payt of Nejib Pasha, and the other a Military Officer on the part of the Seraskier, shall pro­
ceed to the Hindich and conjointly pursue their enquiries into the nature and origin of this
eerious outbreak, the rc-establisbmcnt of Sheikh Wadee and the movement of the troops beinff
made to depend upon the result of the Commission, and in the meantime I imagine that 1 i=*
Excellency and the Seraskier will each send their own report of the affair to Constantinople.
In concluding my report to Your Excellency on this singular collision, between the Civil
and Military authority, I will only observe, that although there can be no question 0
gross oppression practised by Sheikh Wadee in his administration of the Hindich, nor o
corrupt motive which influenco Nejib Pasha in striving to maintain such an individual in power,
it is altogether so novel for the Arabs to find a Turkish Officer supporting them in then rig