Page 414 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF
i
found communities of these Mckranis living in apparent contentment in
separate “ quarters ”, outside the Arab villages, engaged in service but not
in a state of slavery; while other individuals belonging to the same families
may meanwhile be slaves in local Arab families on the same terras as any
negro slave. In these eases their more fortunate relatives are either too
apathetic or in too weak a position to do anything for them. The fact, I
fear, is that they are all in such a low state of civilisation, that they do not
sufficiently appreciate the difference between the conditions of slavery and
freedom; and after all they are probably happier, living in comparatively
well-fed servitude in Oman, than they would be fighting against starvation
in their own country.
The case of Mir Barkat is touched upon also in the Bushire Report. It
is unfortunate that in such cases as this, of the deportation of Mckranis who
give us trouble in connection with the Arms Traffic, strict international comity
obliges us to allow the Persian authorities to deal with them instead of our
keeping them in custody ourselves, the fact being that no prisons or regular
arrangements exist for the lengthy safe custody of prisoners with the Persian
authorities, and that their upkeep in practice falls upon the personal pocket
of the local Governor.
The running of arms all along the Mekran Coast continued, as oppor­
tunities offered, up to the end of the year, soon after which the inception of
effective blockade operations pm a different complexion on our measures for
the suppression of the traffic. Full details of the progress of the traffic are
given in the Mask at Report.
This is the first Administration Report that the Government of India
,. have received from Mohammerah, this
being in pursuance of the transfer of
that appointment to the Government of India in exchange for Kermanshah.
Lieutenant Wilson, on behalf of the Government of India, has gone very
exhaustively into all questions c-oanected with his charge; the result is a
considerable increase of our local knowledge.
Except in so far as the Shaikh himself, as Ruler of Southern Arabistan,
is necessarily dragged into the national question of the hour and its indirect
bearing on his relations with the Bakhtiaris, his territory has remained
immune from the pestilence of anarchy which has so much disturbed the other
parts of Persia, and has been practically unaffected by it. The Shaikh him­
self, however, has several times during the year been simultaneously appealed
to by leaders both of the National and Reactionary parties and has found
himself in a great dilemma as to vrhich side of the hedge to descend, it being
difficult to get down on both sides at once, as he would prefer to do. In this
doubt he has repeatedly begged for the specific advice and guidance of the
British Government, but this it has naturally been difficult or impossible to
give, and the Shaikh has had to rely (and has relied) on such general assur-
ances as we have been able to give him. On the whole he has played his
cards well, considering the undoubted difficulties of bis position. I would
specially mention his satisfactory attitude as regards his Customs. The
branches at Bandar Abbas, Lingah and Bushire, had all fallen into the hands
of the Nationalist leaders: the personnel of the Department were in a state
of panic, and the Shaikh was being vigorously exhorted by the Nationalist
leaders and by the Priests of Messopotamia to resume the Cqstoms from the
Belgian administration. In view of the past, it is difficult to imagine any­
thing that would have been more palatable to him than to do this, but be had
the good sense to be guided by our advice to maintain a neutral attitude,
confining his action to instructing the Belgian Director to retain the receipts
at Mohammerah for the present until the situation in Tehran should clear.
The agreement with the Oil Company and the inception of their por­
tentous enterprise in Arabistan have been among the most pregnant events ox
the year. The Shaikh was, on the whole, very reasonable in his deahngs
with the Company, and gave them far better terms than they bad obtained
from the Bakhtiaris.