Page 423 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 1009. 13

became evident that the landing of some men from the ship was the only
course which would meet the situation, but it was desired to avoid this if
possible and to that end, on the evening of the 9th, with the sanction of His
Majesty’s Legation, the Resident issued an ultimatum to Scyyid Murteza
warning him that if the tufangchis were not cleared off the Island by 5 p.m.
next evening, men and guns would be landed to provide security for British
and foreign subjects.
A few of the tufangchis seemed to clear out of the town itself that
night but only to lurk about on the island; quarrelling among themselves and
preying upon the inhabitants of the suburbs, a still more dangerous state of
things for the Europeans living outside. On the morning of 10th a fracas
took place on the portion of the high road used by most of the European
merchants on their way to and from town. One man was killed and another
wounded and a blood-feud at once started, and, on proceeding to the locality
in the morning, the Resident found about 120 men congregated discussing
retaliatory action.
During the day there was nc serious change. Scyyid Murteza again
repudiated responsibility for security, the town was still full of tufangchis
and the bazaars remained closed and the people remained awake all night,
afraid to sleep.
At 4 p.m. a proclamation was published by the British Resident explain­
ing the position to the public, intimating that bluejackets would now be
landed; that the measure had been forced upon the British authorities, by
the entire absence of any authority and the "danger to British and Foreign
lives which the present state of things involved; but that they were only
landed to protect life and would be withdrawn as soon as the situation
returned to normal.
At 5 p.m. no serious reply to the ultimatum of the evening before having
been received. 100 men from the ~ Fox ” were landed with 4 Maxim guns.
Fifty were accommodated in the British Residency premises on the south of
the town and fifty lodged in commodious premises of the Customs on the
north side next obor to the Imperial Bank and the premises of Messrs.
Wonckhaus & Co. The mere fact of the landing of these men in itself
restored tranquillity in a great measure, but before they were landed the
Resident communicated with the other Foreign Representatives and Euro­
peans. informing them that, in the event of the bluejackets being landed, he
would be able to provide sepoy guards for Europeans who might need them
and asking their wishes.
The Russian Consulate-General has its own guard of Cossacks, and
Monsieur Kadloubousky only needed arrangements to be made for the house
of Monsieur Mishtolt, Agent of the Russian Line. A small guard of 4 men
was sent to the French Vice-Consulate, which has ordinarily only a guard of
Persian Sarbazes. and a strong guard of 10 men to the premises of Messrs.
Wonckhaus, at Dr. Li stem aim's desire, as, apart from the fact that the firm's
house is in town close to the Customs—always likely to be a centre of dis­
turbance in these cases—the firm had at the time a quantity of kerosine oil
and piece-goods stored in the premises, which was in itself a somewhat danger­
ous incubus.
The following day, however, this guard was taken off in communication
with Dr. Listemann as it was thought that the bluejackets on guard at the
Customs House could simultaneously take charge of Messrs. Wonckhaus's
premises.
From 11th April till 10th May the town and island remained outwardly
peaceful owing to the presence of the men on shore, and the townspeople
gradually gained confidence and partially opened their shops, but the leaders
of the community meanwhile continued to intrigue and quarrel among them­
selves, Seyyid Murteza being the whole disturbing element. On the one hand
pie mercantile portion of the Persian community were not strong enough to
ignore or seriously oppose him; on the other hand, they could not brin® them­
selves to work with him, so loDg as he refused to clear has character by render-