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80        ADMINISTRATION REPORT ON TIIE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL







                           Chapter II.—POLITICAL REPORT FOR. HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S
                                       VICE-CONSULATE, ARABISTAN, 1904-1906.

                                                    Part I.—PRELIMINARY.
               I.—Goo graphi­  L The districts which fall within the charge of the Vice-Consul at Ahwai
               cal and
               Territorial   are:—Arabistan, Pusht-i-Kuh, and Luristan. To these may be added the
               Boundaries   Bakhtiari country, as though official communication with the B&khtiari
               and Division®.  Chiefs usually passes through the medium of the Consul-General at Ispahan,
                           it is still the declared desire of the Indian Government that relations with the
                           Chiefs should be maintained by the Vice-Consul for Arabistan.
                               2.  The geographical limits of the charge above indicated may be given as
                           follows:—On the south, the ooast line westwards from Hindiyan, and its
                           prolongation in the left bank of the Shatt-el-Arab as far as the Turko-Persian
                           border, a little above Pailiya. On the west, the Turko-Persian border
                           forming the western boundary#of the district of Hawiza and northern Arabis­
                           tan, till the latter gives place to Pusht-i-Kuh. Thus from an indefinite point
                           to the west of the Kerkba the line hears off to the west, striking Badara, i.
                           Here it turns again northwards including Deh Bala, the Waifs summer
                           quarters. About here the Turko-Persian border is quitted, and the Vice-
                           Consular boundary, marching with that of the Kermansbah Consulate,
                           may be taken as striking slightly to the N. of E. across Luristan so as bo
                           include Haitian, and Tnrhon, the bead-quarters of the Dilfan Chiefs. Prom
                           theDCe it proceeds to Burojird, inducing on the way the Lur Yailaqs (su
                           pasture grounds) of Kbawa and Abash ter. Prcm Burujird a line drawn to
                           Khumar and on to Ispahan 'will include the Lurs of the Silakfror VaSfey, and
                           the bulk of the northern Bakhtiaris, but will exclude on the north the
                           province of ilalalyar which falls wiihin the sphere of the Consul at Kerman-
                           shah. Prom Ispahan the boundary again strikes roughly southwards tr*wards
                           the plains of Arabistan, following the easiern border of the Bskbfiam.
           :
           3               Reaching Arabistan it would pick up the eastern border of that province, and
           1               pursuing it reach its starting point at Qindiyan.
                               3.  The limits above described may be regarded as representing the
                           extreme area over which it is expected that the Vice-Consul should extend
                           his tours, and which, as far as possible, his topographical, and political reports
                           should cover. From the point of view of Consular responsibility or interven­
                           tion, under ordinary circumstances, the following qualifications would have to
                           be made.
                               All affairs concerning Mohammerah and its immediate vicinity would
                           ordinarily be dealt with by His Britannic Majesty's Consul it Mohammerah.
                           It might also be accepted that the sphere of his action would include Falla-
                           hiya aod the Lower Kanin. A point however which to some extent would
                           determine the course of official reference, would be the place at which the
                           Sheikh of Mohammerah was for the moment residing, i.«o whether at Failiya,
                           or at Muxaffariya or Nasiri. At the latter places be would be more readily
                           approached by the Ahwaz Vice-Consul, granted his presence at htai-qiwiten-
                                4. Again hi Pusht-i-Kuh and Luzisfan a hard and fast line
                            laid down dividing the jurisdiction of the Kermansbah Got sulfite tom tow ®
                            the Ahwaz Vice-Consuiate, and th£ advantage of fcocordingto the officials afc
                            those posts some latitude for the invasion* of eaoh others spheres does n^t
                            require to be dwelt on. But the tribes and the country to the east off
                            Kashgan River would not under normal -circumstances make any claim cb
                           attention, of the Kermanshah ConsuL Kburremabad and Bunajuvl
                           seats of tbe Luristan Governorship, fall definitely within the charge ot
                           Arabistan Vice-Consulate.                               _
                               a Pawing on, Ispahan has of course no concern for this Vice-CoMU^^^
                           But the Bakbtiari Chiefs and tbeAbwaz-Ispahan wad, whflo directly
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