Page 180 - PERSIAN 4 1890_1899

10 ADMINISTRATION REPORT ON TIIE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL
' la July 1893 thoro was a fanatical demonstration against Messrs. Lynch’s
house at Shuster. The day of this occurrence was the 10th day of Mohur
rum,
and the consequence might have been serious, ns about 3,000 people Bur-
rounded the house, threatening tho lives of the inmates. Tho Prince Governor
being informed took prompt measures by tho despatch of an armed force
which quickly dispersed tbe mob, and a catastrophe was thus averted. Some
sort of complaint appears to havo been made by those responsible for
this riot, but it can only be regarded as an attempt to avert blame by anti­
cipating it with an accusation. An enquiry, conducted by tho Vice-Consul of
Mohammcrah, ascertained tho true facts, and a written disclaimer of any cause
of complaint against Messrs. Lynch’s Agent was given by the Deputy Gov­
ernor of Shuster.
In November 1893 cattle-disease of a mild type prevailed on the Karun
from Mobammcrah to Ameirak ; it travelled to Falahieli and the islands of
Abadan and Khczr, and to tho Turkish side of tho Sbatt-ul-Arab.
In December 1893, a gale, accompanied by heavy rain, passed over the dis­
trict about Ahwaz, where the river rapidly rose 20 feet, overflowing and flood­
ing much of the country. The telegraph poles were blown down in several
places, and the line interrupted for a week. The river subsided about tho early
part of January last.
Tho question of accommodation for Messrs. Lynch at Abwaz, which had
been long pending, was decided, and an agreement was drawn up in February
between the representatives of thoNizam-es-Sultanch and Messrs. Lynch, and
was forwarded to Tehran for ratification. In March last tbe Resident, accom­
panied by tbe Extra Assistant, proceeded on tour up the Karun as far as
Shuster, and at Ahwaz saw the ground marked for the buildings.
The traffic on the Karun is slowly increasing ; and though steamers seem to
have done slightly better than in the previous year, they still work at a loss ;
and until the land communications in the interior above Shuster are improved,
and more carrying capacity is provided on the upper river, the volume of the
trade can hardly he materially increased.
8.—FARS AND PERSIAN COAST.
The Nizam-us-Sultaneh was Governor-General of Fars throughout the
year; his brother, Saad-ul-Mulk, was Governor of Bushire and the Gulf ports,
but spent hut a small part of his time within his jurisdiction, only returning
to Bushire in January after a long absence at Shiraz.
The year closed with the re-appointment of His Royal Highness the
Rukn-ud-Dowlah as Governor-General of Fars, and of the Kawam-ul-Mulk
as Governor of Bushire and tbe Gulf ports. The arrival of the latter,
however, being delayed, Haji Mirza Abdulla Khan was appointed as Deputy
Governor, and reached Bushire to take up his duties after a short delay.
An embargo on tbe export of wheat was published in May, and continued
nominally in force till the following January, when it was removed. This
measure, which is of periodical recurrence, though injuriously affecting the
regular operations of the more important merchants, who are Europeans, is
very generally recognized as being practically ineffectual. Any real restraint
on export from the rich corn-producing sea-board tracts from Busbire towards
the mouth of the Euphrates would be most difficult; and even if seriously
intended or attempted, would be hardly practicable, in view of the fact that
scarcely any other meats than by sea are available for disposing of the pro­
duce. A thinly veiled and gwerai-surreptitions export is understood to be car-
ried on at Bushire itself during these embargoes.