Page 50 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

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ADMINISTRATION REPORT ON THE PER9IAN GULP POLITIOAI.
Whether they were accelerated or not by the intervention of Haji B*, ia mu t
remain uncertain, but at any rate an armistice -was arranged on or about the
23rd Fobruary, and tho greater part of the levios raised by the Salar were
disbanded. A fortnight later a more secure compact was arrived at whioh
nothing has as yet occurred to disturb. It is stated that it was agreed that
the leadership of the tribe was to revert to the Samsfim and Shaliab, but time
alone will show whether this is true. It is on the whole to bo hoped that it is
as in that case the really stronger party will bo in the position of recognised
authority, and a stronger administration is to bo hoped for.
The whole sequence of events has only gone to prove the weakness of the
Bakhtiari confederacy, now that they have no chief of commanding character
and influence remaining among them. The jealous ambitions of the Khans
has cost them dear both in property destroyed and in cash payments made to
Becure the favour of the Persian Government.
15. The perennial friction between the Khans and Messrs. Lynch Bros,
shows no signs of dying a natural death, although no 8erious crisis oocurred
during the year under review. It may be regarded as chronic so long as
relations of any sort exist between the two parties. A new series of commercial
relations has been introduced by the agreement signed in October by the Oil
Syndicate and the Khans. This concern has been very unhappy in the year of
its inception, owing to the Bakbtiari parties to tbe*agreement being divided
between the two hostile factions.
LURIBTAN.
16. The Farman Farma, after exhausting every artifice of procrastination,
had at length to yield to the pressure of the British Legation, exerted through
the Persian Government. He left Kermanshah in January 1905 with a
handful of troops to undertake the disciplinary measures against the Dirakwand
made neeessary by the attack committed by them on Colonel Dougias and
Lieutenant Larimer. He did not however reach Khuremabad tin ILay. Be
was accompanied by Captain Williams, I.M.S. Arrived there he declared
himself unable to organise punitive measures, and asked that he should be
given until the following autumn to set things in train.
Meanwhile the Salar Muazzam, deputed to bring the Bani Turof Arabs
to book, passed down to Dizful with a force reported to amount to over 2.000
men. He traversed the country of the Dirakwand with the consent of tLeir
chiefs, who were duly rewarded.
In July by the instrumentality of the Sagwand chiefs, Fazil Khan and
Hassan Gidaw, the Farman Farma effected the capture of 12 of the Mira
chiefs. It was the fruit of the arts of Persian diplomacy, or what elsewhere
would be known as breach of faith.
The Governor claimed that at least five of these men were present when
the outrage was committed, but, from a photograph supplied, the officers
concerned were only able to identify one man.
One of the prisoners was released, and one died ; the remainder are still
in confinement at Kermanshah.
17. Early in 1906 the Farman Farma resigned his governorship, and
made over that of Luristan to the Salar-ud-Daulah, who had been relieved of
tbe same in May 1904. The Salar is married to a daughter of the Wab o.
Pusht-i-Kub, who has shown himself attached to his interests on more than
one occasion. Were bis expenses guaranteed there is little doubt that tee
Wali would be glad, if desired, to exterminate or crush the Dirakwand.
18. The not very harmonious planetary system of Luristan wasabnormaBy
perturbed this year by the passage of a meteone body, in the person of t e
8hahab-ul-Lashkar, Chaharlang Bakhtiari. Moving from his own
the East of Burujird, he struck across Luriatan, coming in contact on hia
with the Dilfan and the Dirakwand. He was accompanied on the latter _
of his progress by tbe Sagwands Fazil Khan and Hassan Gidaw-
About the end of 1905 a successful action was fought against a arce
the Dilfan near Gulgul, and again at Tang-i-Cbul. A few F
encounter took place with the Dlrakwand at the 2h-i-Z61, of wbic