Page 461 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 1009. 61
Samsam-es-SaUanch, and Kasim Khan, maternal uncle of the Sardar Muhtar
sb&m.
During the past year there has been a
Relations with tho British. marked improvement in the tone of the
Bakhtiaris towards British interests.
As regards the Oil Company, it is probable that the Khans tardily recog­
nise the fact that their interests are hqund up in the smooth working of the
Company’s affairs. As regards Messrs. Lynch Brothers, hpth the Sardar
Assad and the Samsam-es-Saltaneh, on more than one occasion, expressed to
Hi9 Majesty’s Consul their deep sense of gratitude and pbligq-tion to Tjlr.
H. B. Lynch, not only for the financial assistance rendered to the Sardar
Assad during his recent tour in Europe, but also for ‘ the assistappp rendered
to the Nationalist Cause in the British Parliament.*
It is greatly to be hoped that Messrs. Lynch Brothers wil} do their utmost
to augment this feeling and cultivate friendljer relations with the Bakhtiari
Khans in the future than have held in the past.
During His Majesty’s Consul’s visit to the Sardar Muhtasham at Ardal
the latter put forward a request to be taken under British protection and for
a guarantee for the safety of his life and property.
A feeling also appeared to be gaining ground among others of the Bakh­
tiari Khans that the British had lost that feeling of interest with which they
were wont in former years to regard the Bakhtiaris.
In view of these circumstances His Majesty’s Consul referred the matter
to His Majesty’s Legation and suggested that some renewal of our expression
of friendly interest in their welfare be given to the Khans of both families.
Tbe question was referred to the Foreign Office, London, and in December an
answer was received that an assurance in this form be given to the Sardars
Assad and Muhtasham.
Other questions dealt with both at Ardal and Ispahan were those of out­
standing claims and the then condition of the Lynch Road. ~
Regarding the first, the result of these interviews and others with tbe
Sardar-es-Zafiar at Junaghun and the Sarasam-es-Saltaneh have been dealt
with under the heading ‘ Claims.’
Regarding tbe second, the Sardar Muhtas'ham and Samsam-es-Saltaneh
both promised to take stops to prevent its closure, with the result that the
road remained open till the end of the period under review.
Various new titles were grantecl to the
Titles.
Bakhtiari Khans during the year 1909.
In the month of April the Agha Jerri, a sub-trihe of the Kuhgelus, at­
tacked and robbed Mr. J. C. Smith of
Kuhgelua.
the Indo-European Telegraph Depart­
ment as has been separately reported on under the heading ‘ Telegraphs.’
Early in May the Bahmai Kuhgelus collected a force at the request of
Yusuf Khan, Salar-i-Heshamt (now Amir-i-Mujahid) under the command of
Muhammad Sheffi Khan to proceed to Ispahan for the assistance of the Ilkhani
family of the Bakhtiaris. This force however never left Kuhgelu country,
the Amir-i-Mujahid having countermanded his order at the last minute.
In the month of September information was received from His Majesty’s
Legation that the Kuhgelu tribes had been handed over to the Bakhtiaris and
airly in December, Ilyas Khan, Sarum-ul-Mulk, son of Hajj Khusro Khan!
Sardar-es-Zaffar, arrived m Behbehan to take up the Governorship. His
afsuming his duties was to imprison and despoil Mirza Ali Riza
^RP'hM1h!fndUr\rDlWa?;-'WB? foL?ome1.tlr?e Past has been Acting Governor
1,^^, Mirza All Riza Khan had strong tendencies to reactionary
policy and thus afforded a pretext on which the Bakhtiari Governor m-
LTM ln rea,hS 11 !s supposed that the action was prompted