Page 191 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

AND THE MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 1907-1908. 7

CHAPTER I.

ADMINISTRATION REPORT EOR BUSHIRE AND EARS POR 1907-08.
A9 last year HU Excellency the Naval Comraander-in-Chiof, now Com-visit of the
modcro Sir George ‘Warrcnder, Bart., C.V.O., C.B., A.-D.-C., in succession to commamior-in-
Yice-Admiral Sir Edmund Poe, K.C.V.O., made a tour in the Gulf in theChie
flagship, H.&J.S. Hyacinth, early in April. Owing, however, to the state
of public feeling in Tehran, which was a good deal excited at the time in
consequence of the increase of Russian Consular Guards in Porsia and rumours
of Anglo-Russian intervention, it was thought that the visit of the Com-
raander-in-Chief to Bush ire and Bunder Abbas at this juncture might be mis­
interpreted, and His Excellency was, therefore, invited by His Majesty’s Minister
to omit Persian ports from his programme. He, however, visited Maskat,
Basrah, Koweit and Bahrein, and the Resident, at His Excellency’s kind
invitation, joined him on the flagship for the visits to the two last named
ports.
It was noted in last year’s report that the Dcrya Begi at the time of his
departure from Bushire had expressed the opinion that the swing of the
pendulum would soon send him back again, and, as was expected, Haji Saeed-
es-Sultaneh proved quite unequal to the task even of keeping Bushire in
reasonable order, much less of governing the rest of his charge. His short
tenure of office was chiefly remarkable for much inconveniencq and trouble
caused by his endeavour, believed to have been prompted by the receipt of
substantial gratification from the Khan of Ancali, to re-introduce the Shief, or
harbour, route between Borasjoon and Bushiro. In this, however, he was
unsuccessful. He left on 20th January for Tehran and on his way to Shiraz
via Lirawi was robbed of all bis bngsago and horses and arrived in Shiraz in a
very forlorn condition. His Excellency the Derva Begi returned in August
and remained undisturbed in his post up to tbe< end of the year.
There was also a change at the Karguzaret. The Mowagar-ed-Dowleh, an
enlightened Sliirazi with an European education, who had, though unwillingly,
held the post of Foreign Office Agent at Bushire for the previous four years,
left in May for Shiraz, and was replaced temporarily by his brother, the Masood*
es-Sultan, who remained throughout the year. Both the brothers were on
cordial terms with the Residency and showed themselves reasonable to deal
with as Persian officials go, but their utility to us was greatly discounted
by The bitter hostility whioh existed betwoeu them and the Derya Begi, and
their apparent desire that the Residency should share their feelings and place
itself in opposition to His Exoellency.
Monsieur "Waffelaert from Kermanshah changed places with Monsieur custom*
Heynssens ju9t before the commencement of the year. During the former’s Admini,tratlon-
previous tour of service in Bushire in 1904-1905 he had been a good deal in the
hands of the Russian Consulate-General and had shown himself generally anta­
gonistic to British interests, especially in connection with Quarantine and Postal
arrangements. Indeed his conscience was sufficiently guilty on this point to
make him believe that his transfer to Kermanshah was due to action taken by
the Rcsidcnoy in consequence of his attitude; and, after he left, he took several
opportunities of conveying messages to the Resident to the effect that, if he were
permitted to return to the Bushire appointment, the British authorities might
rest assured of his friendly co-operation. On the present ocoasion, however, he
only remained about six months, and left for Europe in September, the Central
Government having refused to renew hi9 contract. During his sojourn his
personal attitude gave no cause for complaint.
The working of the national movement and the attempt at parliamentary
Government has, however, had a prejudicial effect upon the demeanour of the
o