Page 106 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

4 REVIEW BY TIIE POLITICAL RESIDENT IN THE PER8IAN GULP.

Legation by representatives of other powers, in recommendation of concerted
international action, have been successfully parried for the time being, on the
ostensible ground that the political juncture is inconvenient. The progress of this
pregnant question however cannot be long delayed ; meanwhile Major Morton,
R. E. has been continuing his exhaustive investigations throughout the year on
both banks of the Karun and at the close was on the point of proceeding to India
to draw up his report.
His Majesty’s Government have recognised the desirability of supporting
the Shaikh of Mahoramerah’s position and of keeping him in confidence to a
reasonable extent in regard to developments of the Irrigation Question; and he
himself rightly or wrongly feels confident that his paramount influence with the
peasant population of Southern Arabistan places him in a position to block any
attempt to carry through a scheme in which his own position and interests are
not in his opinion adequately represented.

Mahommerah A flu ire. Turning to Mahomraerah affairs, the
chief events of note have been.—
(fl) The transfei of the government of Behbehan district from the hands
of the Governor-General of Fars to the control of the Shaikh of Mahommerah
and the Bakhtiari Khans in concert.
(h) The marriage of Shaikh Chasib. son and heir of Shaikh Khazal, to the
daughter of Haji Rais ut Tujar, his father’s well-known adviser and factotum;
an alliance eminently calculated to promote the material interest and influence
of the Sardar’s astute henchman.
(c) The very close intimacy which has developed between Shaikh Khazal
and Shaikh Mubarak of Koweit. Though the one is a Shia and the other a Sunni
Mahommedan. apart from their persuasion, they obviously have much in common
at the present time. Each has a portentous “ l'eringi ” scheme of great magnitude
looming on his horizon and promising a revolution of local conditions to an extent
of which neither Chief can form more than a very hazy conception ; in one case
it is the Kanin Irrigation Scheme and in the other the Baghdad Railway. The
contemplation of these problem* brings with it no doubt dreams of political absorp­
tion as well as of wealth, and the need and means of active self-preservation must
surely be their main bond of sympathy and theme of discussion.
Their ability to meet more frequently than heretofore is as a matter of fact
primarily the direct result of the recent purchase by Shaikh Mubarak of a fine
sea -going steam yacht in which it delights him to make frequent trips to the Sliatt-
el-Arab. but the intimacy has been sufficiently marked to excite comment,
especially in Russian quarters.
The comraunings of the two Arab celebrities have been variously attributed
(a) to the attractions of Pan-Islamism ; (6) to dreams of the inception of an Arab
commonwealth in Central Arabia ; (c) to an intention on their part (according
to Russian suspicions, actively instigated by the British) to assert their indepen­
dence of Persia and Turkey respectively; \d) to the fear of Shaikh Mubarak of
absorption by his friends the English, alleged to be fast becoming inconvenient
to him ; and to a desire on his part to abdicate and retire to seclusion to some
quiet spot in his neighbour’s territory between the Tigris and the Karim.
Locallv no tangible foundation has ever been apparent for any one of these
conjectures, and it will probably prove in the sequel that we need go no further
to account for the close ireindsbip of the two Shaikhs than the community o in
terest and sentiment first indicated.
The negociations for the acquisition from the Shaikh of Mahommerah of
Housing of His Majesty’s Vice Consul. ^^p^tr^ted^seem^tO be’ approaching
finality, and it is hoped that the coming year will see our representative more ouit-
ablv accommodated.
IIL—KERMANSHAH.

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sssirsaKSr ffirtsetts aat
charge of the Consulate.