Page 607 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911_Neat

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 19U.' 7
tribes in the Province, and the maintenance of peace in Arabistan seems to
depend rather on the continuance of this state of affairs than on any self"
denying agreement between the parties, whose interests seem fundamentally
irreconcilaolo.
The chain of circumstances which led the Shaikh to take active measures
to ensure the Nizam-es-Sultaneh’s safe arrival at Mohammerah after his
departure from Shiraz, illustrates the close interdependence of the affairs
and personalities of Pars and those of South-Western Persia generally, and
emphasizes the necessity for avoiding any local action which may bring
opposing interests into acute issue.
Captain Grey’s report, which deals with Luristan, the Bakhtiari country,
and the Kuhgilu tribes, is less pleasant
Ahvrtvz.
reading than the above; at the dose
of the year Luristan, Arabistan, and Fars (including the Governorship of
Behbehan) were all unprovided with Governors-General, nor was there any
prospect of appointments being made. The incursions of the Salar-ed-
Dowleh threw Luristan into the slough of anarchy from which Amir Mufa-
khan had been attempting, with some measure of success, to raise it, and
quarrels between the Wali and his son disturbed Pusht-i-Kuh. The absence
of the chief Khans, and the continued detention of the bulk of the Bakhtiari
forces, at no time too numerous, in Tehran and elsewhere, reacted unfavour­
ably on the security of the Ahwaz-Ispahan road, which suffered severely from
the attacks of the Kuhgilu tribes, British goods to the value of over £10,000
being stolen. Internal dissensions also made their appearance, and further
lessened the ability of the Khans to keep order in their own territories, and
at the close of the year no action had been taken by the Khans to prevent a
repetition in the following summer of the previous year’s anarchy.
An effective blockade was maintained throughout the year by the Royal
Navy, and there was consequently a
Persian Mckran Coast.
great slump in the quantity of arms and
ammunition imported into Persian Mekran; the Afghans, taught by the losses
which they suffered in 1910, came to the coast in comparatively small num­
bers, and confined themselves to the purchase of arms from Baluchis; apart
from the Arms Traffic question, there is little that calls for special notice
in the Report, but mention must be made of the difficulty which Mr. Barker
has experienced in inducing the Baluch Chiefs to pay approved claims, and
it seems plain that we shall be obliged to deduct the amounts from their sub­
sidies, unless we are prepared to see our representations wholly ignored.
Mr. Gumbley’s report includes a record of the movements of the Mekran
Field Force, which operated from Sirik and Galag under Lieutenant-Colonel
Delaraain. Whilst its immediate objects were attained, the action then
taken has unfortunately brought us no nearer to the solution of the difficulties
resulting from Mir Barkat’s continued existence in the country in a state of
outlawry.
The Indo-European Telegraph Department have, as usual, rendered
most valuable co-operation in the task of combating the Arms Traffic, and it
is most satisfactory to see at length the visible and anticipated effect of the
operations which have been conducted at such enormous outlay to Govern­
ment.
Taking up the thread from last ^ear^a review, I may say that the M Arms
MwkaL horizon. ^
hoped-for settlement of the question with France has, as heretofore
railed to take shape, and our rigorous blockade operations have continued*

a] the piratical instincts latent in the character of the maritime
tKiil'ft wh Vhand bTght ab0Ut a 8tate of Seneral demoralisation)
SS. S f h h P*5™”163 every community, and enters into every