Page 453 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

CHAPTER VII
ADMINISTRATION REPORT FOR AHWAZ FOR THE YEAR 1909.

Consular Appointments.
Charge was held for the first throe months of the year by Captain D. L. R.
Lorimer, I.A., who proceeded on long
His Britannic Majesty's Consulate. leave in the end of March, making over
the charge of His Britannic Majesty’s Consulate to Lieutenant J. G. L. Rank­
ing, I.A., by whom it has been held throughout the remainder of the year
under report.
For the first three months of the year Mr. H. S. Gratama and Mr. P. ter
Mculen respectively held charge of the
Foreign Consulate#.
posts of Consul (Trading) for the
Netherlands and Russian Agent, at the end of which period the letter pro­
ceeded to Europe on leave, leaving Mr. H. S. Gratama in acting charge, which
post he has continued to hold throughout the remainder of the year, in addition
to his own post, which he has held continuously throughout the year.
From the beginning of the year up to his arrest by Shaikh Khazal, on
the 14th of June, the post of Deputy
Local Authorities.
Governor of Nasiri was filled by Shaikh
Hanzal, nephew of Shaikh Khazal, in the discharge of the duties of which
post he gave satisfaction to Europeans, Arabs and Persians alike. The cir­
cumstances of his arrest are reported on in the Mohammerak Consulate Ad­
ministration Report for 1909. From the time of Shaikh Hanzal’s arrest to
the time Shaikh Chasib, eldest son of Shaikh Khazal, was appointed Deputy
Governor, the post was filled by Shaikh Gazban of Mamoori (near Moham-
raerah). From the beginning of August to the end of the year Shaikh Chasib
has held the post of Deputy Governor, in which capacity he has given satis-
.faction and shown himself a strong disciplinarian.
Shaikh Abdul Husein, who, while in Burma, was a naturalised British
subject, filled the post of Director of
Custom*.
Customs, Ahwaz, up to the end of
November when he went on leave, his post being filled by Mirza Hassan Khan.
Shaikh Abdul Husein is well disposed-to Europeans and has given British
firms no cause for complaint during the year under report. He is, however,
hand in glove with Haji Rais-ut-Tujjar of Mohammerah.
Three separate attempts were made during the month of December to
smuggle arms into Ahwaz and North Arabistan, all of which were foiled,
making a total of 150 rifles captured.
In view of the projected Arabistan telegraph line a survey of the exist­
ing line was made by Mr. J. C. Smith,
Telegraphs.
Assistant Superintendent, Indo-Euro­
pean Telegraph Department, during the months of March and April Start­
ing from Bushire he proceeded to Behbehan via Bender Rig. While en route
from Behbehan to Ramuz he was attacked and robbed of property valuing
about 800 Tomans at a place Darra Naie in the Agha Jirri country by men
of the Agha Jim tribe (a sub-section of the Kuhgelus) under the leader
ship of Ahmed Agha. His Majesty's Consul at Ahwaz at once took up the
case and, before Mr. Smith left Arabistan, property to the value of nearly 300
Tomans had been recovered, with the assistance of Husein Khan Bahmai
At the end of the year a Governor having been appointed to Behbehan the
case was reopened with a view to the punishment of the offenders and this re­
covery of such claim as may be outstanding.