Page 100 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

1
84

12,000 tomans a your for tho maintenance of his Arab kinsmen. Somo of his relations had inorc-
over been already taken into tho public servioo. The Persian Government, Ilia Highness added
had evory confidonco in that of Ilis Majesty tho King of Great Britaiu and hoped that this
feeling was reciprocated.
I communicatod tho account of what had passed between His Highness and myself to
Lord Lnnsdowne, who has now instructed mo to mako the following declaration to Your
Excellency for tho information of tho Portion Government and with a viow of making our
position in this matter perfectly cloar :
(1) The British Government has nover doubted tho nbeoluto character of tho Shah's
sovereignty over tho territory, ruler and pooplo of Mohammerah. Any suspicion which the
Porsian Government may linvo been led to entertain that we sought to establish any analogy
between the position of the Sheikh of Mohammerah and that of tho Sheikha of Bahrein or
Koweit or to distinguish between it and that of other Persiau Governors, such for instance, to
cito Your Excellency’s own illustration in conversation with Mr. des Graz, as the Chief of
Kuchan, oan only huve been suggested by persons desirous of sowing distrust between the two
friendly States. Wo rocogniso in the fullest manner that His Excellency the Sirdar Arfa is a
Persian subject and a sorvaut of His Imperial Majesty tho Shah.
(2) At tho same time tho important in»cro3ts which Great Britain possesses in the
south of Persia precludo U9 .from viewing with indifforonce any changes in the system
of Government in tho provinco of Arabistan, which by causing trouble among tho-
Arab tribes may endanger our trado and tho security of foreign subjects, or afford
occasion for interforoncc by other powers and thus obligo us, on our side, to
take active steps for tho protection of British rights. It is notorious that when it was first
announced that tho customs of Arabistan were to be placed undor Belgian control, fcliero was a
certain fermont among tho Arabs, and that a >rao of thorn went so far as to forcibly oppose tho
landing of tho Karguzar of Bushiro at Mohammerah. The misconceptions which had occasioned
this fermont wore happily dispelled, but had the Persian Government not pursued so wise and
tactful a policy it might easily have assumed a dangerous character and produced grave and
far-reaching offects. The British Government takes noto with satisfaction of the announce­
ment which His Highness tho Atabeg-i-Azam has enabled me to make to it, that although no
written arrangoment9 modifying the customs system on the Karun have been mado between
the Persian Government and tho Sheikh of Mohammerah, as its principal local representative,
yot the Sheikh will bo retained as the titular Head of the Customs, with an inoreased salary
and employment for hie relations, and it has every hopo that tho now Customs Administration,
whose establishment it has always regarded with sympathy, will prove of benefit to all parties
concerned. It also learns with pleasuro that tho Persian Government is willing to raaiutain the-
existing Custom-hou6e at Ahwaz, the retention of which is deemed important to tho commer­
cial interests of the British merchants engaged in the trade and navigation of the Karun. But
it must again reserve its right, in the event of further changes which it could not view with
equal approbation, to mako friendly representations with rogard to them to the Persian Govern­
ment, and if ne«d be, take such other ulterior steps as it may deem requisite for the protection
of British interests, loth political and commercial, should these in its opinion bo threatened.
It is glad however to take the opportunity of expressing its confidence in the friendly assur­
ances which His Highness the Alabeg has renewed to it and which on its side it is happy to-
reciprocate.
I trust that this frank and explicit statement of the views entertained on the subject
by His Majesty's Government may removo all possibility of doubt or misunderstanding on tho
part of the Persian Government."
Sis A. Hardingk totiib Mar^ois op Lansdowne,
(No. 19-A.)
Tehran, 1st February 1903,
I have the honour to transmit herewith a translation of the reply of the Mushir-ed-
v Ancmt Iona Pronin* No 139
Secret E., Aogait 1903, Proceeding ho. 139. Dowleh to the note respecting the customs and
^ q£ ^ g,^ of Mohammorab whioh j
addressed, by Your Lordship's directions, to His Excellency, as reported in ray despatch No. 1
of the 6th ultimo.
This note, as Your Lordship will observe, takes no oxception to any of the reservations
made in mine, and is couohed in very friendly language."
Mushie-zd-Dowleh to Sru A. Hardings.
13th January 1903,
(Translation.)
“ I have had the pleasure of receiving Your Excellency's letter of the 9th* January last,
• f 6th*J#nu*fT. an(* *iave wtisfaotion ma(*° rayaelf acquainted
with the contents which signify thesincoro friend­
ship between the two Governments, and I would now express my own heartfelt satisfaction at
the friendly assurances exchanged between the two powers, and I trust that the harmony t ud