Page 67 - PERSIAN 4 1890_1899

RESIDENCY AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR 1891*91 11

Early in tbo year representations were made by British Indian merchants
at Meshed regarding the unsatisfactory manner in which customs fees were
lovicd from them. They asserted that the 6 per cent, leviable by treaty did not
suffice to clear their goods in transit through the interior, where they were sub­
jected to various local impositions up to a total 6f 8 or 9 per cent. Similar com­
plaints wore received from the merchants at Bundar Abbas, where an attempt
was mado by the Governor of Bushiro to introduce the treaty rate of 5 per cent,
at the port of debarkation, instead of the old rule of paying &£ per cent, at the
port and 1^ per cent, at destination. The effect of this, without special arrange­
ments with the various Governors en route, would have been to impose an extra
1$ per cent. duty. The matter is now under discussion between Her Majesty’s
Legation and the Persian Government, with a view to the prevention of further
dues being levied up-country after payment of the authorized 5 per cent, at the
port of debarkation. It is still undecided as numerous vested interests have to
be considered before any uniform system can be introduced.
His Imperial Majesty the 8hah sanctioned the establishment of a tidal
observatory at Bushire, and the necessary excavations are being made prepara­
tory to placing the instruments in position.'
10.—PERSIAN BALUCHISTAN.
In July 1891 Mir Abdul Nabbi Khan, the headman of the Jask district,
who has been responsible for the telegraph line in his district from Sadeck to
Jask, commenced levying the tax on grain and date produce on the plea that
he had not been paid his dues by the present farmers of the district. The
Governor of Bushire thereupon sent the Naibs of Minab and Shamilah with
2,000 men to collect the revenue and to capture Abdul Nabbi, but they were
unsuccessful.
In January 1892 Abdul Nabbi again obtained the control of the country
round Jask from the Deputy Governor of Bundar Abbas. The holders at first
refused to give up the district, and some desultory fighting occurred, but with
no definite result.
Locusts proved very destructive round Ckarbar and Geah in July 1891.
Mir Abdulla Khan son of Sirdar Dilawar Khan having refused in August
to pay the Persian Government taxes unless his father, who was imprisoned at
Kerman, was released, a force marched against him but was beaten off. Ab­
dulla Khan then took post in a fort in Dizak whence he tried, but without suc­
cess, to obtain terms, the only Sirdar siding with him being Mir Path Maho­
med Khan, Sirdar of Bampusht In September he was captured and sent to
Dizak.
11.—SLAVE TRADE.
No slave dhows were captured during the year by Her Majesty's ships.
Some reports of the importation of fresh slaves into Kishm were declared
by the Governor of Bushire, after enquiry, to be without foundation.
Information that several cargoes of slaves bad passed up the Shat-ul-Arab
for disposal in the villages along its banks and at Busrah was not confirmed
on further enquiry. A dhow with twenty-nine negroes on board was detained
at Fao by the Mudir, and they were sent to Busrah. The Wali, however, satisfied
himself that they were not slaves, and they were allowed to return to the dhow.
In the course of the year the Turkish Consular Agent at Lingah received
from his Government a proclamation against slave traffic, issued in accordance
with the Slave Trade Treaty between the British and Ottoman Governments,
for publication amongst Turkish subjects at that port.