Page 79 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

63

no frcsli purchases should 1 o made till the next crop should he assured. The
facts that the Karguzar, Agent of the Foreign Office, repudiated the authority
of the Govcrnor-Goneral, while the Sheikh Governor of Moliammerah claimed
to levy again on his own account tho duty which had already been paid to the
Govcrnor-Gonoral, shows the utter confusion and conflict of authority in all
the irregular proceedings in this connection. Tho Central Government over­
ruled both these obstructors. In March the Governor-General again capri­
ciously stopped export, though by that time there could hardly be a doubt of
the abundunco of the approaching harvest, and finally soon after native and
foreigD merchants were freely shipped and the embargo was tacitly at an end,
though, as far as official notification was coucered, it remained in full force as
originally promulgated.
182. Thus the embargo on the export of wheat, though not officially sus-
An . na pended, remained virtually in abeyance.
Administration Roport, 1897-98. T - , r
Its enforcement was again notiued in
June 1890 by the Governor-General, only to be followed immediately by an
intimation from tho Government, through Her Majesty’s Legation, of its
removal. The harvest gathered in the spring of 1896 was abundant, but prices
nevertheless rose aftor a few months, the average for tho year being more than
double those for the preceding year, owing mainly to the short crop in Meso­
potamia. Prospects for the coming harvest wore doubtful, and in Jauuary of
1896 a general prohibition of tho export of food-grains was notiGed, to take
elfect in March ; it was, however, unnoticed by tho local authorities on the
Karun till April.
183. As tho harvest was bad in 1897, the export of grain was again pro­
hibited. This seriously affected the Bri­
Hid, 1697-98.
tish firms, who had made advances to
cultivators, and after some pressure, an exception was made in favour of the
export of sesame seed. The embargo was continued long after the prospects
of a good new season had boen ensured. In the Gulf Administration Report,
1899-00, Colonel Meade wrote:—“ At present the prospects in Arabistan are
exceedingly flourishing and if the embargo on export of wheat is removed, the
prosperity of the district should rapidly increase.”
(wet).—Fanatical outbreaks of local tribes and Persian soldiers against the
JBrilish.
184. The last, but not the least, in the series of obstacles the British
enterprise bad to face on the Karun, was the fanatical opposition of some local
tribes, especially those in and around Shuster (the head-quarter of Mujtahids),
to tho presence of the British, and also the fanatical outbreaks of the Persian
soldiery against the employes of tho Lynch Company. We shall mention a few
notable occurrences of this kind.
185. In July 1893 there was a fanatical demonstration against Messrs.
Lynch's house at Shuster. Tho day of
Golf Administration Report, 1893-94.
this occurrence was the 10th day of
Mohurrum, and tho consequence might have been serious, as about 3,000
people surrounded the house, threatening the lives of the inmates. The Prince-
Governor being-informed took prompt measures by the despatch of an armed
force which quickly dispersed tfyj mob, and a catastrophe was thus averted.
Some sort of complaint appears to have been made by those responsible for
this riot, but it could only be regarded as an attempt to avert blame by anticipat­
ing it with an accusation. An enquiry, conducted by the Vice-Consul of
Mohammerah, ascertained the true facts, and a written disclaimer of any cause
of cbraplaint against Messrs. Lynch’s Agent was given by the Deputy Gover­
nor of Shuster.
186. A brutal attack, which might have had the gravest and even a fatal
..., 1B05.9R. result, wa9 committed On British subjeoU
in November 1898, by the soldiers sta­
tioned at Ahwaz. These men maintained ostensibly for the preservation of
peace and order, had in fact on this and other occasions lent themselves to
violence and excess. On this occasion the representatives of Messrs. Lynch
Brothers were proceeding in a perfectly orderly manner to lodge* a complaint
with tho local Governor against the soldiery, whose high-handed and lawless