Page 29 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911_Neat
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RESIDENCY FOR TIT* YEAR 1906-1006.           19

        •with a view to reporting to them on the position. This gentleman arrived at
        Maskat on 19th February whore tho R.I.M.S. Lawrence was placed at bia
        disposal for tho rest of his tour. Accompanied by the Residency Surgeon he
        visited all the Gulf Ports including Bahrein and Koweit and after completing
        his local investigations left for Bombay on 19th March to confer with the
        Government of India before going home. His report has not yet been issued.
            On 3rd September reports reached His Britannic Majesty’s Consul, Shiraz*
                                       that the bodies of persons who had died
                  Health at Ehiros.
                                       of cholera in the epidemic of 1904 had
        been exhumed for transport to Kerbela. On receiving confirmation of the
        news from Doctor Palmer, Mr. Grabame addressed His Royal Highness the
        Shoa es-Sultaneh warning him of the danger and recommending that the
        exhumation should be prohibited for one year. He also interviewed the Imam
        Juma on the subject and Dr. Palmer furthermore reported it to the Sanitary
        Board at Tehran urging that the necessary steps be taken to stop the exhuma-
        tioD and this was apparently done.
            The total rainfall in the Bushire District was almost up to the average of Miscellaneous.
                                        the last ten years but did not fall season­
                  Rainfall and Harvest.
                                        ably and only an 8-anna crop resulted.
            In Shiraz, however, and other parts of Fars, especially Dashtistan, the fall
        was more propitious and the harvest again most satisfactory. Prices of food
        stuffs consequently fell considerably. Opium was the only exception, the
        poppy crop being a poor one.
            The Derya Begi has remained in office throughout the year and though
                                        bereft of most of his power under the
         The Governorship of Bach ire and the Gulf Ports.
                                        existing regime and inclined to be prodi­
        gal of promises which be can seldom fulfil, he has at all events been concilia­
        tory and cordial in his dealings with the Residency.
            Telegraphic news was received from Hon jam on 29th April 1905 to the
                                        effect that there had been several shocks
                    Earthqcukes.
                                        of earthquake in the vicinity of Bunder
        Abbas resulting in landslips at Isin and Ginao by which some houses had been
        thrown down and two persons killed. There was also an earthquake shock at
        Henjam on 25th April and one at Kishm on the 27th. The former caused a
        fissure in the plinth 20 yards from the outhouses of the Telegraph Department's
        buildings but no other harm resulted.
            In the beginning of July petty robberies became again prevalent on the
                                        outskirts of Bushire and were stated by
                 Lawle»»oe*» io Baa hire.
                                       the local authorities to be the work of
        Tangistanis; but episodes which occurred during the Derya Begi's last
        Governorship gave rise to.the suspicion that this lawlessness may have been
        instigated by tho Governor himself as a pretext for a lucrative punitive expedi­
        tion into Tangistan.
            On the night of 245th August a robbery took place at the house of an
        Arab named Najaf bin Gbalib, Agent in Bushire of the Sheikh of Koweit, and
        claimed by the latter as a subject. The owner was spending the evening with
        a friend and returned to find that his house had been ransacked and cash and
        property to the value of RIO,000 stolen. It was a matter of common report
        that the robbery has been committed by certain of the Persian artillerymen
        stationed in the town; and the local authorities have been continually pressed
        to bring the offend ere to justice, but in spite of constant promises no effective
        action has been taken and it has been necessary to move HU Majesty’s
        legation in the matter for such friendly overtures as be may feel in a position
        to make on behalf of the Koweiti.
            It is worth recording that a parcel of office stationery under despatch from
                                        the Residency to the Coal Agent at Bassido,
             ,                  .       csre of the Residency Agent at Lmgah,
        was  desonbed m the transhipment pass issued by the Customs Administration
        as  being exjzorte, % e., under export to foreign territory.
                                                                      n £
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