Page 197 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

AND THE MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 1007 1009. 13
British interests have been adversely affected by the movement in British
several ways. By the insecurity which has prevailed on the tiude routes ; by
the unti-forcign uttitudo of the local Anjumaus and vernacular press; by the
fact that iho reduction of their emoluments and the meddling of the same two
mischievous forces with their executive duties have undermined the authority
of the officials responsible for Government, and have obliged or encouraged
them t»> be less conciliatory than heretofore in their dealings with us.
It now seems impossible for a local Governor to assert his authority in
any clTcctivc direction without bringing a hornet's nest about his ears.
Whenever he attempts to do so, some individual with a private grudge or an
axe to giiud, or one of the petty Anjumans, at onoe despatches a missive to
the National Parliament or inspires a scurrilous article against him in a local
vernacular paper. The governing official in a few days receives a telegram
from the Parliament or fr<>m the Central Government telling him to satisfy
the parties and calling on him for exp’anations.
The Derya Bern who, notwithstanding periodical depositions, never seems
to remain absent from the Gulf stago for long and who in spite of national
failings is undoubtedly the most conoi.liatory Governor wo have Itad in recent
years, has repeatedly expressed his exasperation of late at the humiliating
positiou to which he has been reduced, and at the impossibility of excrcisiug
eifective authority. y
In fact the grant of the privileges of a free press and the right of public
meeting have resulted in the south in the geneialion of what may be termed a
“ Young Persian Party, ** recruited from those of tuc rising generation who
have received some measure of education ; the class most stirred by the
nationalist, propaganda. With exaggerated notions of its own importance and
of “the glorious history of the Persian nation,” this element has devoted its
energies to the formation of innumerable mushroom societies or “ Anjumaus **
ami the conduct of vernacular h at et newspapers wherein the doctrine of
“Persia for the Persian, ” has been enthusiastically preached to the ignorant
peasant and petty trader. Iu the Persian Gulf it will be understood that the
only palpable foreign influence with which the general public has been
familiar iu the past has been that of Great Britain, and the natural result is
that the brunt of all the preaching and pamphleteering falls upon ourselves.
There is further little room for doubt that the proceedings of this Young
Persian clement havo been encouraged both by German and by Russian
agents notwithstanding the entente, not so much at Bushire as at Lingali
and Bunder Abbas. The twro powers named have practically no subjects or
protected persons to look after in the Gulf region, or anything but steamer
borne trade and have therefore nothing to lose or fear from the spread of tho
new doctrine. On the other band there are many questions with which wo are
directly identified locally which aro necessarily unpopular with the native
community as affecting the amenities of their daily life, Such as the strict
enforcement of quarantine, the active suppression of slavery and the arms
traffic; and the protection of inhabitants of the Arab principalities under our
influence from Persian oppression or extortion.
During the past year the energies of tin’s nationalist element have
especially been employed in putting pressure on local Governors to refuse to
accept British intervention, as heretofore, on behalf of subjects of Bahrein and
the Truciai Coast, and Bcveral troublesome incidents have occurred in
consequence.
Reports from Lingnh especially have furnished cause for a good deal of Lingah Affair*,
anxiety to the Residency during tho year, chiefly iu counection with the
undermentioned subjects:—
(a) The hostility of a self-constituted Zabit of Knis island to British
subjects, culminating in his tiring on a dhow flying the British
flag and having on board the Deputy of the Residency Agent at
Lingah.
(b) The arbitrary arrest, despoliation and castigation of a Bahreini by
the Doputy Governor aud his refusal to admit tho iutorveutiuu
of the British Agent.