Page 236 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

52 'ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF TIIE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL
RESIDENCY
might be learnt what type of man lie was. It was soon evident that disorders
wero to commence again for the Governor early gained the reputation of a
weak, hut avaricious, man who eared but little for what might result ns lorn?
ns he succeeded in collecting money. 6
On the 16th April Saif-cd-Doulck visited the local assembly ns elected by
the people, on the occasion of its first meeting, and presented ins Congratula­
tions, promising to send an official to ho in attendance at future meetings
This was his first and greatest mistake, for all the subsequent trouble mav bo
traced to this act. He had no intention of fulfilling his promise, and it was
merely one of the forms of the usual Persian “ haute politique ” in order to
lull the adversary to security; bad there been any immediate action for him to
take there might have been some point in his procedure, but as his only object
was to gain time lie merely defeated his own end.
The assembly awaited the arrival of the official promised, but all enquiries
were met with the usual “Imroz, farda.** In the end getting suspicious they
wrote to the Governor a strongly worded letter demanding an immediate
answer. The Governor asked for two days* grace, In the meantime a
telegram arrived from Tehran assembly saying that it would be far better that
there should be no local assembly than that blood should bcspiit over a matter
which was intended for the benefit of the people. About the same date a son
of one of the leading mujfaliids of Kerbela was passing through ICcrmanshah
and consented to remain in the place with a view to bringing about a
reconciliation between the two parties—an attempt foredoomed to failure.
The two days’ grace allowed to the Governor having expired at the begin­
ning of May, be attempted again to lull the suspicions of the people by
ordering that Muin-ur-Raya, Kais-ut-Tujar and Sheikh Abdul Hussain of the
aristocratic party should be expelled from the town. The fighting which had
taken place in the previous year had been in connection with the arrest of
these three men. The order of expulsion was obeyed, and the three concerned
went out to the village of the Rais-ut-Tujnr, which is only about three or four
farsakhs from Kermanshah, and thus the situation rested temporarily. In the
meantime there had been constant rumours of the proximity of His Imperial
Highness Salar-ed-Douleh, the brother of the Shah, at the head of an army
which varied in numbers from 20,')00 up to 60,000 1 On the 16th May I
received a letter from His Imperial Highness saying that he was at Alishtar
in Luristan about 50 miles from Kerrnanskah; lie wished mo to meet him
there as ho had matters of State importance which he wished to discuss with
me. His messenger told me that His Imperial Highness having quarrelled
with the Shall wished to become reconciled through the mediation of the
British Government as he had no faith in the representions of the Shall. The
latter asked me to send a reliable man if I could not come myself.
I telegraphed to the Minister, and on receipt of orders wrote to Salar-cd-
Doulch informing him that the Shah was willing to promise liim safety and
forgiveness and expressing our pleasure in being of any assistance in bringing
about a reconciliation. I sent my Mirza wiili the above letter.
To return to the state of affairs in the town : a protest was made to the
Governor concerning the proximity of the three men deported, but the minds
of the people were too much excited over the doings of the Salar-ed-Douleh
to consider domestic matters. There were rumours that Kangawar, a small
town between Kermanshali and Hamadan, was to bo attacked and some oven
began to lay in stores for a siego. On the 30th May the Mirza returned with
an answer from Salar-ed-Douleh. Ho made no reference to my letter, but
formulated his demands, which were in the main that he should continue in
the Government of Luristan with Arabistan, Burujird and Nehavcnd, to the
chiefs of which places he was related by marriage, and after various further
conditions stated that if the intercession of the British, which lie took tor
granted, were not successful he would not bo responsible for the consequences.
While the Mirza was at the camp Salar told him that he would not go to
Tehran, as his brother wished, there to be put out of the way by a 0UP
“ Persian coffee.** He would rather die fighting than in the manner narn ‘
He showed the Mirza letters promising assistance from various parts o