Page 117 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

I

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 1000-1007. 16

Fortunately the year remained immune from any visitation of epidemic disease.
The state of the Bushire-Shiraz Road has been deplorable almost throughout
the year, and the subject is dealt with fully
Bushire-Shiraz Rond.
in Mr. Graliame’s memorandum.
The choice between the alternative methods of approach to Bushire from the
Borasjoon stage, 30 miles distant, formed from time to time as it frequently has in
tlie past, a convenient opportunity for wire-pulling and corruption for persons with
vested interests in the one or the other. At the end of the year the Ahmedi or land
route was in vogue.
Rahdari in one form or another still
Rahdari. continues to be levied on the road, the
authorities being powerless to stop it.
On the other hand in many instances, they make no attempt to do so, and even
have the temerity to include the receipts from certain purely illegal transit dues
in their schedules of annual revenue to be collected by provincial Governors.
Little was effected during the year in the direction of the settlement of old
Bushire claims against the Persian Govern­
Settlement of claims ment, owing both to the fluid state of
affairs in Tehran and to the financial diffi­
culties in which the Persian Government were known to be submerged. The
special Mamur promised by the Central Government never got further than Shiraz,
where however he did assist in settling some items.
The oft-mentioned Taona case has remained unsettled and still continues to be
a source oi discontent and dudgeon to the Shaikh of Abu Thabi. Instructions
were indeed issued by the Foreign Office to His Majesty’s Minister to ask the Persian
Government to give this matter their attention, but no result ensued.
A suggestion from Mr. Grahame that the Kowam-ul-Mulk of Shiraz, the farmer
of the district which includes Taona. should assign to the Shaikh of Abu Thabi
interests of some kind in the Island of Kais, which the Kowam is said to have
received as an absolute gift from His Majesty Nasir-ud-din Shah, deserves mention
but was not considered by the Government of India to admit of practical adoption.
The Resident was frequently on tour in the Lawrence during the year in
connection with the collection of Gazetteer
Toil re.
information or the conduct of ordinary busi­
ness. and visited all the ports of the Arab and Trucial Coasts, but no special land
tours were undertaken.
Five manumission certificates were granted
Slave*.
by the Residency during the year.
There were two changes in the Residency
Officials’ changes.
Staff during the year.
> In May Captain de V. Condon, Residency Surgeon, proceeded, home on
furlough and was succeeded by Captain T. B. Williams, I.M.S., previously Consular
Surgeon at Kermanshah.
In July Mr. J. H. Bill, I.C.S., took over the duties of Fiist Assistant Resident
from Captain A. P. Trevor on the latter obtaining furlough to Europe.
In March 1907 Mr. R. L. Laffere was appointed Assistant Engineer in charge
of Government buildings and works in the Persian Gulf with head-quarters at
Bushire. The creation of this appointment was found necessary owing to the
numerous Government buildings now existing or in course of construction
at the several Agencies within the sphere of the Residency.
There was also a change in the personnel of His Majesty’s Consulate-General
Mr. Richards, Vice-Consul, proceeding on leave to England in May and being subse­
quently transferred to Zanzibar, was succeeded in December by Mr. EL G. Chick,
late Student Interpreter in His Majesty’s Legation at Tehran. During the interval
between Mr. Richards’ departure and Mr. Chick’s promotion and arrival, the Vice-
Consular duties were, carried on %by the First Assistant.
Monsieur Passek, Consul-General for Russia, proceeded on six months’leave in
Foreign Rcpreecntativoa. May being replaced by Monsieur Andre
- ... .,. . „ Miller, hitherto Vice-Consul. On the ter­
mination of his leave Monsieur Passek was placed on special duty at the Russian