Page 302 - PERSIAN 4 1890_1899

8 ADMINISTRATION ItErOET ON TUB PERSIAN GULP
POLITICAL

Busluro with a strong armed following and received a firman from the p
nor investing him with the authority in dispute. At Tahiri on tli -Cr*
Shaikh Ibrahim resisted by force the transfer to another of tho post h coast
held and maintained his position in the fort, necessitating the despatch of ° ^
siderablo force for his expulsion. At Lingah some alarm was caused h i**
violence of one Sycd Yusuf who, having killed a man, evaded the attempt
to arrest him, and brought a party to tho attack of the fort. A more
attempt at his arrest under the direction of the Kawam-ul-Hulk also faTT
as did an cllort to induce him to return to Lingah. In the early part 0f th
year there was much uneasiness in Bushire in consequence of the frequent 6
of robbery aud violence in the immediate neighbourhood. acts
Grain export again lay under a nominal embargo throughout the year
It was freely evaded for most of the period ; indeed one of its objects would
appear to be the opportunity afforded by it for the levy of an illegitimate
cess for connivance at its evasion without an open violation* of the treaty rights
governing the duties in foreign trade. 6
The rainfall for the winter of 1S95-96 was remarkably deficient in the
Bushire district, only 4’75 inches being registered, or a little over one-third of
the normal fall. There was also serious failure of rain at Bundar Abbas and
Lingah. The distress which at the latter place was becoming acute was
relieved by a copious fall which filled the reservoirs at the very end of March.
No epidemic visited Bushire and the public health was on the whole
good. Fever prerailed to a somewhat greater extent than in the preceding year,
but was not of a severe type. Shiraz suffered much from fever of a more viru­
lent nature, from which the greater part of the population suffered; it caused
a good deal of mortality. There was also a rather serious epidemic of cattle
disease, from which many animals perished.
A postal service was established between Bushire and Arahistan.
The series of observations for the telegraphic determination of longitudes
was resumed in March between Tehran and Bushire, the final link connecting
India with Greenwich being thus completed.
8.—PERSIAN BALUCHISTAN AND MAKRAN.
Sirtcep Zain-ul-Abedin continued to hold the Governorship of Bampur.
He appears to have made a vigorous effort to increase the revenue derived from
Daslitiyarl; the people complained loudly and in January it was reported that
two thousand of them had emigrated. The British India traders of the district
and of Charbar joined in these complaints, alleging that their trade was beim;
ruined owing to the exactions of the Governor and the depopulation of the
country. The per.ee of this region ivas also disturbed by a conflict bet ween the
two brothers, Abdi Khan and Mahomed Khan, owing to the authority of tLe
former having been transferred to bis brother on account of his misrule.
There was a very unfortunate case of the disappearance of a Hindu trader at
Gwettcr under circumstances which pointed strongly to foul play. A
of the Hindu was sent to the native assistant at Gwadur by Sirdar Mahomcu
Ali, the local Persian authority, who had obtained a confession that be had mur­
dered his master. The confession was of a most doubtful character, aD
servant implicated two men of Sirdar Mahomed Ali who had denounced bun ^
being themselves the actual murderers. The evidence in the case was o
most unsatisfactory nature being confined to the discredited statements o F ^
sons probably connected with the act, and it is to he feared that there is
hope of justice being reached.
Several of the Baluch leaders from the neighbourhood collected at ^s^i^
April with large followings, and there was some excitement; their ohjcj5 !! nerceti
to he the nomination of a responsible chief for the district, and . ‘ gS
to keep the peace if the Governor of Bundar Abbas would meet their »
Abdul Nabi, headman of the Jask district, who had long receive ^
sidy for the protection of the telegraph-line, hut had lately lost lt ovn
having been involved in a serious feud with a neighbour, died in Hec

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