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The Relief Committee in London, Calcutta and Bombay have been very liberal
and there is every hope that their efforts will result in thoroughly meeting the famine in and'
around this port."
14. There .arose in connection with the wheat, which the British* merchants
were forced to give away, the question as to the indemnity they were entitled to.
They had purchased the stock in April 1870 or before that month, when no
notice of prohibition had been given. They had a treaty right to purchase grain
Mr. Thompson's Despatch No. i, dated 25th and a special arrangement had been entered
«2‘° between the Mission and the Persian
1863. qu *tcd in Political a., January i8>i, Nos. Government under which—
280 300 (No. 287).
“ Any prohibition in the exportation of Persian produce ought to be determined upon
by the Persian Government itself and communicated, through the Foreign Ministers at
Tehran, to the subjects of their respective Governments.”
They were therefore entitled to compensation for the losses suffered on this
Political a.. January 1871, Nos. 280-300 (No. occasion. The Persian Government were
259)- prepared to pay the British merchants
(Messrs. Malcolm and Co. and Haji Musa Meymeni) at the rate of 12 krans per
maund, while the latter demanded more. Ultimately a compromise was effected
by the Persian Government paying a little more. The British merchants were
not quite satisfied with the arrangement and complained, but the Government of
India declined to interfere (Foreign Department letter No. io-P., dated 5th
January 1871, to the Bombay Government).
V.—Events in 1874-76.
15. In February 1874 the Baharloo Arabs plundered the district of Bandar
Abbas to within four farsakhs of the town.
Political A., March 1874, Nos. 246-247.
Their intention was to attack and plunder
Bandar Abbas. Ahmed Shah, the Governor, was at Minab, and would not move
to protect the town. The merchants thereupon armed themselves. Luckily
the Arabs did not carry out their intention.
16. Towards the close of 1874 serious apprehensions were entertained,
Gulf Administration Report for 1874-75. owing to the unusual drought, that famine
Political A., February 1875, Nos. 183-95. might again make its appearance, and the
Persian authorities at once imposed an interdict on the exportation of grain.
Fortunately the calamity was averted by a fall of rain at last.
17. In January 1875 Assad-ullah Mirza proceeded into the district on his
usual annual tour to collect revenue, and experienced some difficulty in obtaining
payment from the local chiefs, from whom nothing could be extracted unless a
show of force was made.
18. Two popular measures were adopted by the Shah’s Government in 1874-
75-—
(1) At Bushire, as well as'at other large towns, a “ box of justice” for
the reception of petitions from all classes of people was established,
the petitions thrown into it being forwarded direct to the Shah.
(2) The octroi duty hitherto levied at Bushire on fruit and vegetables
was abolished.
19. The Saad-ul-Mulk, lately Governor of Bushire, left for Shiraz on the
nth May 1876, since which date the state of the town and environs were very
unsatisfactory. From the nth May the Aubdhar Bashee of His Highness the
Farman Farma carried on the duties of Governor, but was summoned to Shiraz
on the 27th June.
19A. From 30th June the Government of the place was entrusted to
Agha Mahomed Ali, the Malek-ut-Tujjar of Bushire, but, owing to his incapa­
city from illness, the work had to be carried on by one of his slaves, who being
inexperienced and guided by designing people, could not exercise proper control,
and in consequence the subordinate authorities were allowed to act very
much as they pleased, and there was no check whatever on their irregularities. In
fact, it was only owing to many being unaware as to the actual extent of the
Malek’s illness and incapacity that further disorders were not committed.