Page 311 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

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section V above). We shall give now a few of the instances in which embargoes
were laid to the great detriment of the British interests and which evoked vehe*
ment protests from British merchants and the British Minister at Tehran.
618. On 23rd December 1874 Colonel Ross telegraphed to Mr. Taylour
Thomson that owing to failure of rains in
Political A., May 1875, Nos. 1461-61.
Bushire and the surrounding countries,
the question of re-imposition of embargo on the export of grain was being
mooted at Bushire. On the 23rd December a Sayyid proceeded on behalf
of one of the Mujtahids of Bushire to certain British protegds and threatened
them with riots should they export, the grain they had brought several months
previously, and for which they had chartered vessels. Notwithstanding the
British Minister's protests and demand that at least the usual one month’s
notice should be given before enforcing the proposed embargo, an interdict was
placed by the Persian Government on foreign exportation of grain from Bushire
with only 15 days’ notice. The British Minister, however, hoped to obtain
favourable terms for Messrs. Malcolm and Co. who had a large quantity of
grain on hand for exportation before the intentions of the Persian Government
were known.
Embargo on export of grain, 1877,
619. The closing of the northern routes, consequent on the war in Europe
Political A., August 1877, Nos. 319-52. in 1877, had a noticeable effect in increas­
Political A., October 1877. Nos. 497*5 «7- ing the exports from Southern Persia by the
Persian Gulf. The price of grain rose consequently and the mujtahids started
a movement for stopping the export of grain. An order was actually issued by
the Prince Governor of Fars early in the year 1877 prohibiting the export of
grain. This order was soon afterwards rescinded, with the result hoyvever of
exciting the Bushire mob into riotous proceeding, which were encouraged by a
mullah and Agha Sayyed Suleiman. A boat loaded by Haji Mahomed Jaafer
was plundered by a mob led by a Sayyed, a brother of Sayyed Suleiman, and
wheat to the value of i,8oo krans stolen or destroyed. Steps -were taken to get
the culprits punished.
619A. Soon afterwards the Prince Governor of Fars ordered another
prohibition of export of grain with effect from 12th of June 1877. But as the
British merchants would suffer if the prohibition came into force before the
15th August, Mr. T. Thomson obtained an order from the Shah’s Government
to defer the prohibition until that date.
Export of grain illegally stopped at Bandar Abbas, 1877.

620. In March 1877 a British subject at Bandar Abbas, who had shipped a
consignment of grain for exportation, was
Political A., May 1877, Nos. 307-10.
made to reland it by the Persian Governor
under threat of .a fine of 500 tomans. As no interdict against export of
grain was in force at the time, Her Majesty’s Minister brought to the notice of
the Persian Minister this illegal proceeding, and demanded that the losses
suffered by the British subjects should be made good to him. The Persian
Minister thereupon wrote to the Governor—
" if possible you must try and satisfy the owners of the grain yourself, or else send
me the details of the matter immediately by telegraph.”
621. What the result of this vague .message was our records are silent
on the point.
Further restrictions.on export of grain, 1878.

622. In June 1878 the Resident at Bushire at the instigation of some
Political A., January 1879, ^03. 109-70. British merchants addressed Her Majesty’s
Political A.. Apr.I iS-,9, Nos. 104-19. Chargd d’Affaires at Tehran to obtain the
removal of the embargo imposed in 1877 and he added that the embargo merely
enabled Persian officials to extort money from British subjects, and the exporta-