Page 42 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

26
as to give them an advantage over the
• Sccrot, May 1882, Noi. 321*37?.
French, whoso eventual success, if allowed
a footing in the-country, would bo detrimental to British interest.
100. it the time the Resident’s report was written, some French mer­
chants had tried to establish commercial relations with Mohammerah. Their
undertaking was supported by the French Cousul at Basrah and a French En­
gineer, M. Diculafoy, had been sent to the Knrun to report on the navigation
and on the Ahwaz dam. It was rumoured that the French had obtained a conces­
sion for running stoamers on the Karun, but this rumour turned out to bo false
t im No. s;7*3S8. "nd Diou.lnf°y Miwrted unfavorably on
T ’ y the Ahwaz scheme. The attempt to estab­
lish relations with Mohammerah equally failed.t
101. Zil-us-Sultan appears to have dono his best in order to obtain the
opening of tlio Karun river, but the Shah’s opposition was not to be overcome,
and after a year’s negotiations Mr, Thomson forwarded in September 1882 the
following report
“ I regret that I am still unable.to report that there is any immediate prospect of the
Shah's assent being obtaiued to.the opening of the Karun to steam navigation.
" In my despatch No. 71 A., confidential, of the 5th of April last, I hod the honor to
acquaint Your Lordship with the communications which had passed between the Zil-us-Sultan
and myself to this subject. His ltoyal Highness then undertook to obtuin tbo Karun oonces-
eion for us, but said that it would take some time for him to overcouio the Shah's objections to
the scheme.
“Sure the Prince's return to hid post at Isfahan, I have written several letters urging the
matter to his attention, and have received messages from him assuring me of his co-operatiou,
and of the likelihood that a satisfactory result would before long be obtained. The ZJil-us-Sul-
tau hos, however, evidently found the task a more difficult one than he had anticipated, and it
now seems somewhat doubtful even if his influence will be sufficiently powerful to enable him
eventually to obtain the concession from His Majesty. His Royal Highness has received per­
mission to visit Teheran during the presont mouth, and I shall be bettor able to judge of this
when I bavo had an opportunity of again communicating porsonully with him on the subject.
/f The Zil-us-Sultan is, I believe, sincerely desirous lo carry out as far as he can our
views with respect to the Karun, but I see no indication as yet of any favourable impression
having been made on the Shah's mind.
“The strong opposition which His Majesty continues to make on every ocoaei- n when the
subject is brought before him has had its effect upon the Minister for Foreign Affairs,- who for
some time was disposed to co-operate cordially with us in this matter. It appears that Hia
Excellency has now withdrawn completely from his advocacy of the proposed concession, and I
am informed that he lately wont beyond the objections raised by the Shah by suggostiug that,
jf the Karun was opened to European commerce, the Arab population of that region and the
Bukhtyaii tribes in the adjacent mountains, neither of whom were Persian in language or feel­
ing, would tlierby b« brought under foreign influence, and might at any moment throw off
their allegiance to the Shah, when they were dissatisfied with the proceedings of the Persian
authorities."
102. In December 18S2 Mr. Thomson finally reported that fho Zil-us-Sul­
tan had declarod his inability to .effect the opening ot‘ the ICarun river, and the
Minister was of opinion.that it would be
\ Secret E, February 1833, Nei. 200-210.
better for the present to leave.the. question
in abeyance.t
103. Closely connected with the Karun navigation question is the Ahwaz
irrigation scheme. Since 1879 it has been referred to twice; The, first time in
copneclion with the formerly mentioned travels in Persia of a French .Engineer,
M; Diculafoy, who was supposed to have gone to the Karun for the special pur­
pose of reporting on this scheme, and the second time in a report by Air. Thom­
son, dated April 18S3, in which lie states that the Zil-us-Sultan has obtained a
concession for the working of this scheme, but on condition of employing native
capital only. No European was to participate in tbo work. The Prince hoped
that he might be able to have this restriction removed, and with a view to this
eventuality Mr. Thomson reminded him of ltcutor’s rights, which the Zil-us-
Sultan promised to take into consideration.

M