Page 198 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

14 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF
POLITICAL RESIDENCY
(c) The anti-British attitude and intrigues of tho Director of Customs
a Persian named tho Ala-cs-Sultnn, in association with othe^
kindred spirits.
(r7) The taking hast at the British Agency of about 70 Marzooki tribes-
men from Hasina under Cliarek, owing to tho oppression of the
Sowlet-ul-Muik, Deputy Governor of Bastek.

The incidents arose as follows :—

(a) As was ment ioned incidentally in last year’s roporfc, the island of
ICais is actually the property of the Kowam family who enjoy it
by a deed of gift from Nasr-ed-Diri Shah conferring possession
without power of alienation; but, beyond placing it under the
revenue jurisdiction of the S<»wet-u!-Mulk, Chief of Bnstek,
through the Sheikh of the port of Clmrek, tho Itowam family
seem io have taken no practical interest in it. The island is of
no little interest to us however as containing a considerable
community of British Indian traders engaged in the pearl and
piecegoods trade. Hitherto the Residency Agent at Lingah, in
who^c immediate sphere tho island lies, has been able to promote
tlie interests of our subjects through the friendly offices of the
Sheikh of Cbarok; but in .Inly 1907 the latter falling foul of
his overlord, the Deputy Governor of Bastek, was thrown into
prison, and during his incarceration a truculent petty Sheikh of
the A1 Ali tribe, having seized the fort which commands the
island during the temporary absence of the titular incumbent,
proceeded to exercise functions of Government and to line his
pockets by praciising all sorts of extortion upon the inhabitants
including British subjects, whose eommu iication with Lingah
lie Mien cut off in order to prevent their complaints reaching the
Residency Agent. The latter however eventually heard what
was going on and sent his brother with Sheikh Saleh of Charek,
who had now been released, to the island in a sailing Imat flying
the British flag, in order to visit the Hindu commnniiy and take
steps for their welfare. Tno boat on approaching the island was
fired upon from t.he beach by Sheikh Mahomed's tofangchis and
having failed to effect a landing, was obliged to return to
Charek, A day or two later the Sheikh, evidently becoming
frightened at what he had done, proceeded to write to the
Residency Agent, attempting to excuse his conduct by saying
that the Deputy Governor of Bastek had given him the
strictest orders not to allow any vessel flying the British flag to
approach the island; these orders were said to have been sent
owing to the report given currency to by the anti-British clique
in Lingah that tho visit of H.M.S. Lapwing which a few
months before had attempted to survey a new shoal reported off
t.he island, was really an essay on the part of the British
Government to seize it. Unfortunately at the time neiiher the
Lawrence nor a man-of-war was available to proceed to the
spot and by the time the Resident had waited a fortnight for the
PcrerpoUs to start with.the Deryn Begi, he himselt proceeding
in the Lawrence, the errant Sheikh had escaped to the mainland.
On his way back from the Mekran Ports, however, a few
weeks later Bis Excellency succeeded, by some mysterious means,
in effecting Sheikh Mahomed’s arrest at Khelat.near Charek, and
the sentence inflicted on him in communication w ^ * ,e
Resident, of tlireo months’ imprisonment and Rs. COO fine or
three months more in default, was accepted os satisfactory, un cr
all the circumstances.
(b) In the second case a Bahreini named Ibrahim bu Kbnlil, who waa
said to owe some.debts to persons in Lineal), was 6?,z^ ^ *.
Deputy Governor Safor Ali Khan while on a visit to the porr,