Page 324 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

24 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY
No developments of special interest have occurred in the”affairs of the
town, and no more than purely domestic disturbances have occurred.
The Mujtahid Abdus Samad and his relations still remain in retirement
at Nejef. Sheikh Murteza of the rival house appears only to have been able
to maintain a position of mediocre influence. He left Shushter in the end
of October with the intention of proceeding on the Haj.
Southern ^ 26. Sheikh Khazal has maintained his unchallenged supremacy through-
ArnhUtnn.
The principal events of political interest which fall to be noted are—
the treaty arranged between the Sheikh and the Bakhtiari Khans,
the renewal to the Sheikh 'c>f the assurances previously given him by
the British Government, and
the annually recurring trouble with the Beni Turuf.
The first of these matters is referred to further on vide paragraph 38.
27. As regards the second, reference may be made to paragraph 43 lower
down.
The nature of the assurances which it was decided to giye to the Sheikh
is indicated in the following extract from His Majesty’s Minister’s Despatch
No. 12, dated 22nd August 1908 :—
“ The wish expressed by the Sheikh of Mohammerah and the Bakhli-
ari Khans for nearer relations with His Majesty’s Government
has been most carefully considered by the Foreign and
India Offices, and it has now been agreed that it would be un­
desirable at present to give the Bakhtiari Khans any assurances
beyond an expression of friendly sympathy, but that in the case
of the Sheikh of Mohammerah, the general assurances given to
him might be repeated and extended to his successors and that
it might further be pointed out to him that His Majesty’s Gov­
ernment have engaged to respect the independence and integrity
of Persia which involves the maintenance of the status quo in
that country and includes the continuance of his present state of
autonomy; external aggression on him would therefore consti­
tute an infringement of Persian integrity, which is recognised
by the Anglo-Russian Convention.”
28. The last demands only a brief notice.
The crisis arose as in previous years from the refusal of the Beni Turuf
to recognise the Sheikh’s authority as apart from the question of paying their
revenue to the Persian Government. The first sign of trouble occurred in
Hawiza itself whither the Sheikh was obliged in June to send a small force
under Sheikh Hanzal to deal with his local representative Asad Khan. Asad
Khan fled to the Beni Turuf and the expedition was more or less abortive.
The Beni Turuf imbroglio began to dcvclope shortly afterwards and was ren-
dered more acute by the return of the old firebrand Ilaji Sabhan.
After considerable delay Sheikh Khazal, in the beginning of November,
mustered a force, said to number 15,000 to 20,000 men, and an advance was
made on the Beni Turuf country in the middle of November. No military
operations of importance took place and the matter was in the end settled by
arrangement rendered possible by a split among the Beni Turuf leaders, and
resulted in the deposition of Ali Minaishid and Zahar Ali, and the appoint­
ment in their places of Mutailij, Asi, and Saleh^is the Sheikh’s representa­
tives. This settlement took place early in December.
Sheikh Ghadhban, the Chief of the Beni Lam in Osmani territory,
appears to have acted throughout against the interests of Sheikh Kliaza
without however committing himself to any active steps.
29. A point to be noted is the steady tendency of the relations of Sheikh
Khazal with Sheikh Mubarak of Koweit to grow closer.