Page 373 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

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(viii) Colonel Goldsmid's third Report of 1S0I,
30. Colonel "Goldsmid’s Third Report
No. 18, dated Baghdad, 27th April 1804.
Volume 80 of 1801. may be more fully quoted :
“ Bearing in mind the original question of ‘ how far tho claims of Persia, Kolat, or Maskafc,
or any other State, to any sovereign right in any town or districts in Mckrau are founded on
Treaty or possession, or acknowledgment by the local rulers/ my previous letters will have
shown
I.—That, in my opinion, the claims of Persia to Mekran generally arc based upon
somewhat traditionary conquests of former years, more or less substantiated by
the formal disposal of the province to Mohbut Khan Brahui in the middle of
the last century ; that the later rise of a new Government and enterprise of a
new Chief iu Baluchistan virtually dispossessed Persia of her never well-defined
Mckrau territories; but that forcible reassertion of the Shah's sovereignty over
certain parts of Mckrau, so far as hitherto carried out, however unwarrantable
in accordance with the rule of European polities, is not a matter with which
wo can interfere upon a bare principle of justice and equity. In this view, such
Mekran territories as Persia now holds in tribute, are hers by mere right of
possession.
II.—1That those portions of Mekran obeying the authority of the Khan of Kelat are
that Chief's by possession, and also by acknowledgment of the lo -al ruiers.
They are part of au inherited Baluchistan State, held, at first, iu ^rum-feudal
tenure from Persia, subsequently from Candahar, hut in reality on a basisof
independence. The revolutions which distracted the province after the deathof
Nussir Khan in 1 795 can only effect such petty Cbiefdoms as have been
successful in permanently throwing off their allegiance. Those which revolted
and were afterwards subdued still remain component parts of the inheritance
of the Khans.
III.—That Charbar and Gwadur belong to the Imam of Maskat by right of posses­
sion—the last on a tenure disputed by the Bcluchis ; the former with acknow­
ledgment of the local rulers.
“ Setting aside nice geographical distinctions, and regarding Mekran as that part of
Baluchistin westward of Kelat, Kharau, and Bela, we find a political status much as
follows
Persian, West,
BumpurDizzuk and dependencies ; Geh and dependencies—Baho Dastyari.
Bclucl, East.
Kej and dependencies—Puujgur.
Arab.
Charbar iu the west, Gwadur the east division. * *
“My letter No. 5, of 22nd January last, will, it is believed, have rendered clear
B that this district (and town) was not only
nmpur. independent of Persia more than fifty years
ago, but that it was customary for its Chief to organize plundering expeditions from
thence into the neighbouring province of Kerman. It also expressed a commonly received
opinion on the immediate cause of advaucc to this particular quarter in about 1814. I have
seen no reason to modify the conclusion drawn from these statements. Much more
evidence might be adduced on the subject, but the strong positive testimony of Captain
Grant and Lieutenant Pottinger is readily available for reference. It is not unreasonable to
infer that the spirit in which the marauding Chiefs of Bampur carried on their chapaos across
the border gave evideuce of intended reprisal for former oppression ; and the fact of possession
by Persia at the present day must be attributed to force only, not to the existence of any
legitimate claim, or acknowledgment by local rulers. The Nharuis, like their neighbours,
obeyed the orders of their own Chief, whose true position wus that of a feudatory of
Baluchistan.
“ Dizzuk, though not on tho sea coast, forms a very important part of Northern Mekran
Dizzut, including J.lk. Sibb, Erobb.bzu, within thePersianline of possession. But the
llabsbun, Bnmpuslit, Moitao, Hung, Zjarut, niain object of including it within the range on
Kulpurakan, etc., etc. the present enquiry is to use it as a key to the
whole question under discussion. Frequent per­
sonal intercourse with its acknowledged hereditary Chief has enabled me to summarize a
narrative which tells, more or less literally, the tale of Bampur, of Gch, and of every petty
State in Mekran.
“ When Nadir Shah was in the zenith of his power, he bestowed Dizzuk, in fice gift*
on the ancestor of the present Chief. When Nussir Khan became ruler in Baluchistan,
Dizzuk fell within his r.iuge of control. lie shook off the Persian yoke, and while transferring
2136 F. D.