Page 134 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

30
ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF

now talbB very favourably of the Shaliab while continuing to Btigmatwe the Sam.
sam as mad.
31. (a) British Affairs.—The discussion of British interests with the Khans
has occupied a large place in the work of the Vice-Consulate during the y ear.
It should be noted that in October, after some discussion, the decision was
eventually arrived at in consultation between the Government of India and the
Legation at Tehran that it was advisable that the charge of negotiations between
the Concessions (Oil) Syndicate and the Bakhtiari Khans should be placed in the
hands of His Britannic Majesty’s Vice-Consul for Arabistan, who should corres-
•pond through the Consul General in whose district he might at the time be(«>.,
B^bire or Ispahan), copies of his despatches being sent to the other.
This decision was in due course approved by His Majesty’s Secretary for
Foreign Affairs.
Circumstances also led to the discussion of all matters relating to the Ahwaz-
Ispahan Road being conducted through the same medium.
32. The Oil Syndicate.—First in importance are to be placed the affairs of tie
Concessions (Oil) Syndicate Limited. It will be remembered that at the end of the
period last reported on, we had had reason to take objection to the failure to make
adequate guarding arrangements and to pay up compensation for thefts, etc.
Neither of these, objections had been removed, when the Vice-Consul met the
Salar Aria’ at Chighakhor in July.
In the meantime the Sardar Asad, and the others at Tehran, had initiated
s campaign for extracting more money. In this the Sardar was in league with the
Foreign Minister, the Mushir ud Daulah. who in a personal interview suggested
several of the main objections raised against the existing Agreement.
Reference was made to the .Syndicate by the Legation and in due course their
reply was received and submitted to the Khans who had now returned to their
homes.
None of the essential demands of the Khans were allowed, and in any case it
was declared unnecessary to cancel and redraft the agreement as required by them.
33. In the latter half of October the Vice-Consul met the Sarasam, Shahab,
and Sarura um Mulk at Gishnagun, and again the Sardar Asad and the Saiar Arfa’
at Junaghun.
Matters were talked over in great detail, and the Khans’ demands were finally
reduced to that for an extra annual payment of £500, in return for which a respon­
sible chief was to be placed in the immediate charge of the Guards and Oil affaire.
A more precise definition was also required of the exact nature of losses, etc.,
for which compensation would have to be paid.
Guards which had been refused for the second place at which the Syndicate
wished to work, were also after some hesitation supplied.
Subsequent enquiry and examination on the spot however revealed that the
provision of guards in practice was at both places a mere farce, and this was further
accentuated by a series of thefts, etc.
Appeal to the Khans then at Malamir met with little result beyond urgent
demands for the settlement of the payment of the additional £500 ; while the Khans
in the north lodged a demand for payment of all their dues in gold corn.
.34. Eventually in March the Vice-Consul met the Khans at Ramaz. De­
mands for the payment of all accumulated compensation were met by thread to
throw up the whole business, while discussion of the payment of' the extra £500
was made impossible by the refusal of the Khans to stand by the terms they bad
.signed at Gishnagun, and by an endless succession of new and absurd demands
mnA baseless complaints.
Three weeks were spent in futile negotiations, during the latter half of which
Mr. Reynolds, the Syndicate Representative, was present.
Towards the end the quarrel between the Samsam and Shabab occureed, and
the Shahab then secretly modified his attitude proposing to satisfy all our deman
end even allow us the payment of the guards by ourselves in the event oi °
accepting an arrangement should it be arrived at, by which with the approv
the Shah, the control of the tribe and British interests in their country snouifl
in the hands of the Shahab.