Page 256 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

70 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY

Assadullah Khan, and brought about the lattor’s dismissal. Smarting under
this injustice, Assadullah Khan and hisadhorents marohed to Bundor Abbas and
having failed lo secure ro-instatement, some 300 of his followers took “ bast ”
in tho Consulate. The local authorities after some hesitation gave way and
Assndulloh Khan -was ro-appoinlod Kalantar. Jealous of the prestige accruing
to the Consulate by reason of its having secured redress for the l)nsii9, the
[Russian Consul proceeded to engineer a counter-demonstration on behalf of
Mir Ahmed Shah. About 150 of the latlor’s followers camo to Bunder Abbas
and having invoked tbc Russian Consul’s aid wore accommodated in the houso
of his Tehrani munshi. After further protracted indecision on the part of the
local authorities, the Governor of the Gulf Ports arrived and settled the matter
by appointing Assadullah Khan and Mir Ahmed Shah as joint ^Kalautara of
the Shamilat.
During the first three months of the year, the district to the west of
Bunder Abbas was rendered unsafe owing to the depredations of Mulla
Ilashim, an adherent of the Deputy-Governor of Lar.
In August, the Fnrgbun district was much disturbed, owing to hostilities
between Ali Khan, Kalantar of Ahraedi, and the sons of the late Ghnrib Shah,
Kalantar of Parahun. The dispute originated throueh both parties claiming
the right to tbc Kalantarship of Parghun. M. Ovseenko, the Russian Cousul,
who was staying at Siahu at the time, endeavoured to effect a settlement
between the disputants, hut was unsuccessful. After somo bloodshed on both
sides, the matter was settled by the appointment to the disputtd Kalantarsliip
of Mirza Ilassan, a son of Hazi Ali Kuli Khan, the Deputy-Governor
of Lar.
Early in November, the Baharloo tribesmen, instisated it was said by the
Kowam-ul-Mulk, who bad been dismissed from oilice at Shiraz, roso and
descending from Pars ti rritory, committed vast depredations in tbc Bunoer
Abbas district. Scarcely a village escaped their attention and the town
became inundated with nnnie-strieken villagers. By December nothing remained
in tbc distrirt upon which the desperadoes couid lay their bands and when
Kharair on the Clarence Straits was attacked and rumour became strong that
Bunder Abbas itself was their next, objective, the local autl oritics besought aid
from the Gove-nor of Bu^hire. So threatening was the outlook that it becamo
necessary to devise measures for the protection of the British subjects in the
town and II. M. S. Lapwing arrived as a precautionary measure. The
presence of the gunboat restored confidence and deterred the raiders from a too
near approach to the town; At this stage, the Governor arrived from Busbire
with 120 sarbazes and two guns, which force was promptly despatched to
Giuno to guard the pass. - The force remained in camp until early in January,
when, with the dLappearance of the raiders, it returned to Busbire.
Caravan traffic. It is only natural that- with the prevalence of disturbances suoli as those
above cnumciated, together with the lamentable state of the country genorally,
robberies of goods in course of transit, were frequent, while, from time to time,
the caravan tiaflic became completely paralysed. Jn September, a caravan
was attacked in the Rudkhann Duzdi and eight British Indian subjects return­
ing from Meshed, were robbed of merchandise valued at 1,700 tomans. A few
days later, the Persian post bags, cn route for Kerman, were robbed near
Doulatabad. Early in October, the news from the interior became so disquiet­
ing that caravan traffic was entirely suspended. This state of things continued
until the end of December. In January the caravan traffic ''as resumed,
but owing to the l.»rge accumulation of merchandise by reason of the previous
inactivity, transport rates became exorbitant. The closing month of the year
] found the caravan rouies again disturbed and robberies in the Shamilat uere
common. A sou or of the Kerman Consular Escort was robbed near Baghui o
two doDkey loads of personal property and up to date the local authon ies
have taken no stefs to satisfy the resulting claim.
Repeated attempts to secure the return to Bunder Abbas from Lar o
Trade
diaabiltties. the debtors wl.o absconded in H06 have been unsuccessful, and the rl}s?.
still practised by fraudulent debtors and otlnrs seeking to evade their ,a * q
ties. In several instances, British Indian creditors have submitted t0
meagre terms offered by tluBe debtors and have accepted a composition,