Page 204 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

20 ADMINISTRATION report OF THE PERSIAN
GULF POLITICAL RESIDENC7
Monsieur Andre Miller and Dr. Listomann remained ns ",
German representatives respectively, the former summering at Shiraz and the
latter going on deputation to Tehran in May and returning in November
Foreign
I\eprc3i»ntfttivc8. Monsieur Chaloin after ncarjy two years’ahsenoo returnod to the Drench
Vice-Consulate in December and resumed charge from Mirza Ali Iteza Khan!
The rainfall was scanty and fell inconveniently and in the neighbourhood
of Bushire the harvest promised to be not more than a 0 anna one. b
Rainfall and
Harvest. The results of the meteorological observations recorded in the Residency
arc appended hereto in tabular statements Nos. 1 and 2. “ J

SHIRAZ (FARS).

(Furnished by Mr. J. II. Bill, His Britannic Majesty's Consul, Shiraz.)
The apprehensions expressed by Mr. Grahame last year were fully
realised, the period under review presenting an almost continuous record of
public commotion. In fact, the old theatrical direction “ Confused noise
without ” is the most adequate expression to the effect produced on a student
of Shiraz politics during this troublod year.
The two main foci of disturbances were Qavam-ul-Mulk on the one side
and the religious leaders, wearing a mask of constitutionalism, on the other.
The incapacity of the local authorities to deal with the situation, so far
as it was not due to natural inaptitude, was the result of the uncertainty in
which all the operations of Government were involved by the divided control
of Shah and Parliament.
Local author- The year opened with the appointment of Prince Moayyed-ed-Douleh as
ities.
Governor-General. lie arrived on April
Govcmor-G'-Dcnil.
15th, hut never contrived to acquire
any real control over the Shiraz situation. Ho was ill during the greater part
of his period of office and departed almost unnoticed on June 13th.
His successor, N'iznm-cs-Sultaneh, was a man of very different stamp.
One of the most distinguished of present day Persians, with a repuiation of
firmness and capacity, ho was expected to do great things, but his failure
was scarcely less complete than that of his predecessor. This must be attributed
in the main to the political uncertainty, which disarmed the executive, while
the legi>lature was unfit to support the burden which it had assumed.
Nizam-cs-Sultancli, after several abortive attempts to resign, finally left
Shiraz on November 3rd, and strangely enough, the poii<>d of interregnum
which followed during which such authority as existed was in the hands of
Khabir-ed-Pouleh, the local Telegraph Master, wfas the part of the year
which saw the establishment of a modus vioendi between the two hostile
parties. The interregnum closed with the return to power, with the title of
Sahib Ikhtiar, of the Vizir Makhsous, an amiable nonentity, much harassed by
pecuniary embarrassment.-?. He arrived on February fcth and remained till
the end of the year, though the appointment of His Imperial Highness Zill-es-
Sultan was notified on March 17tb.
Nebil-es-Sultaneh continued to display the same incapacity as Karguzar
which was described last year by
, J
Kar*U7or* Mr. Grahame. Ho was succeeded on
December 12th, as a temporary measure, by Muvaqqar-ed-Doulch, late

of Fars, to which he is a stranger, has given evidence of good-wi.l an
to do what he can to forward public business.