Page 223 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

AND THE MA8KAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 1007 1008. 39
seem to have been occupied ’with sneaking dreams of disloyalty to the Persian
Government.
In repudiating British claims and in their attitude on the Kuhgalu
question a tone of inflated self-importance and independence was distinguishable,
and it will be shown further on how the 6ontimont which it indicated subse­
quently manifested itself in full blossom.
45. Relations of the Bakhtiari with the British.—These relations wore
principally in regard to the atTairs of the Concessions (Oil) Syndicate, and of
Messrs. Lynch Brothers, and they were extensive and by no moans harmonious.
The Oil Syndicate.—It will be recollected that last year’s report left the
narrative at the point at which a signed undertaking had been taken from
the Shahab that, in the event of his becoming Ilkhani, he would satisfy all our
complaints, and in particular agreo to our taking over the payment of the
guards. In the meantime ho mado himself responsible for the provision of
adequate protection.
After considerable delay some addition was made to the guards in
May, but an opportunity of definitely arranging the question did not occur
until the arrival of the Vice-Consul at Ardal towards the end of that month.
The net result of two or throe weeks* delay there was that the Shabab after
first trying to repudiate his undertaking altogether, asked for two or three
months* grace. Shortly afterwards the Samsam was reinstated, and this, and
the attitude of the Khans in general, has made it useless and inexpedient to
make the matter a subject of further direct pressure.
46. The question of the payment of compensation for losses sustained by
robbery, etc., which was a burning question at Kimah in March 1907, was
arbitrarily settled by the deduction from the instalment of guard money fall­
ing due to the Khans on 15th May of the amount of the claims.
47. In the beginning of July a serious incident occurred at Batwand near
Maidan Munaftun, one of the Canadian employes of the Syndicate being
mobbed by a crowd of the local inhabitants. He was beaten, and narrowly
escaped severe injury from stones thrown at him.
The case was reported to Tehran, and His Majesty’s Minister succeeded in
getting the Atabeg to send telegraphic orders to the Khans for the punishment
of the offenders.
The Khans sent down some Agents, but they were quite inoapahle of
effecting what was requiied of them. Repeated reference was made to the
Khans both by the Vice-Consul and the Persian Ministers, the outcome being
that more efficient Agents were attached to His Britannic Majesty’s Vice-Consul
with instructions to satisfy his requirements, and eventually in the middle of
October the principal offenders were brought to book and public punishment
meted out to them at Batwand.
The unsatisfactory way in which the Khans had acted in the matter had
given rise to serious doubts as to the dangers which might be expected from a
population of savages coming to the knowledge that their excesses would not
meet with prompt punishment at the hands of their chiefs. Further weight
was given to these apprehensions by a case of firing on a caravan, and of
threatened violence to the local Manager at Mamatain, and the question of
how best to secure the safety of the Syndicate’s employes came under discus­
sion between the British and Indian Governments and the Legation. A
proposal was made by His Majesty’s Minister, and endorsed by the Vice-Consul
to the effect that the strength of the Ahwaz Vice-Consular Indian escort
should be raised, and permanent detachments be posted at the sites of the
Syndicate’s operations with a view to securing the safety of European
personnel.
Meanwhile losses by theft continued as at all times, and another case of Lur
truculence had occurred at Mamatain in the end of September. In this case
a local headman surrounded the boring works at Sliardin with armed men and
commanded that work should cease. The Canadian drillers complied and
then proceeded to pack up their kit with the. full intention of leaving the
L