Page 95 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

Chapter III. 73
cxistR. To tho remonstrances of Nam ik Pasha tho ono Sheikh hna rot turned no reply; the
other: pleading tho contumacy of his followers, has boldly referred Ilia Excellency to tho
sword as tho only moans of vindicating tho authority of tho Government: and His Excel­
lency’s threats of reprisals and of stopping tho Musaliich (permission to traffic with tho towns)
aro, ns usual, invalidated by tho dread of provoking general disturbance and by tho impos­
sibility of distinguishing the real offenders. For tho rest a sudden fall in the price of long-
cloths, etc., is a suro indication that tho plunderers have already barterod their booty to pedl ara
aud petty traders.
The great Bedouin tribes have now moved down to their usual autumn seats, tho Sham-
mar, on tho lino of tho Figris on tho right bank of this river to within 10 or 12 miles of Bagdad,
und tho Auezeh, on tho line of tho Euphrates on either bank of that river to Mussnib nnd in the
vicinity of Kcrbcla nnd NejjcfL 'l'hoy arc, howover, fo far subservient to the behests of their
subsidized Chiofs as to abstain from invading the cultivated districts nnd from infesting the high­
ways. Sheikh Ferhan, Chief of the Shatnmar, came, into Bagdad on the 15th instant, his object
being to carry his camps south of Bagdad, to which movement permission lias as yet been
dented him by Namik Pasha. Owing to the converging course of the two rivers at this point,
his position there would exposo his retreat to bo cut off did be defy the Government and drive
in to coalesce with the Anozeh against him. This resource is, of course, the' chief instrument
of control which tho Provincial Authorities possess over fhc rival Bedouin tribes, but, owing to
tho full appreciation by the latter of their common interests, apart from the mere acquisition
of plunder, and to the difficulty of leading such allies to discriminate tho property of friends
and foes, one of dangerous and doubtful efficacy, aud only to be employed in extremity.
The appointment of a Sheikh to the Monti fig districts is still in abeyance. Sheikh Fuhud,
whose leaso expired last month, is presently expected to arrive at Bagdad, and although it
appears probable that ho will be re-iuvested for throe years, advantage will doubtless be taken
of the candidature of Sheikh Nan sir to induce him to accept tho higher rate of rent and other
concessions promised by his rival.
Cholera has been present at Bagdad during the past 50 days, but in a mild form, the
greatest numbor of deaths from the malady registered in one d iy by tho Quarantine Depart'
ment having been 15. Tho epidemic is also dying out in the districts.

No. 48, dated tho 28th Novembor 1SC6.
From— Colonel Sib A. B. Krudall, Hor Majosty’e Consul-General at Baghdad,
To—His Exchli.rncy Tint Rionr Ho.v'ulk Loud Lyons, o.c.n, Her Britannio Majesty's
Anzbassador, Constantinople.
A fair prospect exists of compensation being recovered to a limited extent for the property
plundered from a caravan coming from Aleppo, as
Political A., January 18G7, Nos. 11G ll7.
reported in my despatch, No. 41 of 17th ultimo.
This ond has been attained by the instrumentality of the Anezeh Chief, Abdool
Mu/neitj supported by a Turkish Military Force, of which, however, tho employment was not
needed ; aud tho result lias been the surrender of camels and cattle, of which the sale may
probably realize, for the benefit of the consequences, one-balf tho value of their consignment.
So far recourse had not been bad to force, but a division having occurred among the offending
tribes, which led to the secession of several families, Sheikh Ahdool Muhsen fell upon the latter
and plundered their camp, though not, it seems, on the account of Government, for tho booty
so obtained is claimed as fair prize by himself and his followers, and of 2,000 camels captured,
only 142 were secured by bis Irregular Turkish Auxiliaries, and of theso, 82 only, very inferior
animals, have reached Baghdad.
Owing to the operations of the Local Government to effect the promised supply of grain to
Jeddah, the prices or wheat and barley have risen to doublo tho ordinary rates, and considerable
discontent has been engendered in consequence amongst the town populations. This feeling
is justified by the well-founded conviction that tho distress which is experienced is not the
result of any real scarcity, but has been occasioned by the competition of the Government and
the monopoly to which it lias had recourse of the means of transport in order to secure the
consignments required. Appeals made to His Excellency by deputations of tho people,
including a mob of women, have been productive of little relief, and His Excellency observed
to the French Consular Dragoman that high prices ruling temporarily were in the present
case no evil, seeing that, owing to a famino in India, grain might otherwise be drained out
of the country. Jt may be inferred that His Excellency’s measures have been taken with a
design, the moro especially that the shipments to Jeddah for the current year have been com­
pleted, and that the grain now somewhat prematurely stored is destined for exportation next
autumn. I need hardly inform your Lordship that Namik Pasha’s fears, real or pretended,
with respect to the famino in- the distant districts of Bengal, arc wholly groundless. No
vessels have come this year to Bussorah to carry away grain to India, though tho charterers
of one or two vessels seeking their annual cargoes for the Mauritius havo been this year disap­
pointed. 1 have bofovo expressed an opinion that the supply of grain to Jeddah, regarded as
a mercantile speculation and freed from Government action, could, under proper management,
bo turnod to excellent acoouub in developing tho resources of this country, but iu the sense of
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