Page 501 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 1910. 7

him (as it is for Shaikh Mubarak of Kuwait for the same reasons) to main­
tain a modus vivendi with the Turkish authorities. Primd facie therefore
he must be credited with a desire, born of expediency, to conciliate them.
1 have already referred in my general remarks to the Shaikh’s apprehen­
sions regarding the policy of the Bakhtiari Khans in Tehran, and need not re­
turn to the question here.
We have to thank the Shaikh for his attitude in regard to the protection
of Bahrainis in his territory. The informal arrangement come to with him
during the year places us in a much better position in regard to this question
than that we have yet achieved in other Persian ports.
The Taravcrdieff Concession, in regard to which the grantor, the present
Nizam-us-Sultanch, adopted a by no means ingenuous attitude, is inconvenient
and likely to give the Shaikh of Mohammerah and ourselves some trouble.
The probability is, however, that the tribesmen who would be displaced from
their holdings in the event of the execution of the scheme, will raise such diffi­
culties when it comes to the point, that the Concessionaires will be obliged to
retire from the project or sell their interests to the Shaikh of Mohammerah.
The Shaikh was greatly pleased and honoured, at the distinction con­
ferred on him by the British Government in making him an Honorary Knight
Commander of the Indian Empire, and equally relieved and grateful for the
extended assurances which were communicated to him at the same time.
As far as it is possible to judge at present, the policy pursued by His
Majesty’s Government in regard to the Shaikh of Mohammerah, is proving
eminently successful: it has greatly strengthened the Shaikh’s position and his
control over the tribes of Arabistan as well as his reputation among the tribal
Chiefs, of Southern Persia, who realise that his prosperity and the strength
of his position is due to his close relations with the British Government and
his friendly attitude to British commerce, and are becoming more disposed
to emulate him.
The Government of India have been fortunate in having as the first in­
cumbent on their behalf of the Moahmmcrah Consulate, a young officer of
great energy who has rendered a great deal of service to geography during his
term of duty in Arabistan, and has studied and written up very thoroughly,
for the benefit of his successors, all important questions connected with his
charge.
The record of this Vice-Consulate for the year is mainly taken up with
(t) the progress of the Anglo-Persian Oil
Ahwaz.
Company’s operations at the Oil Fields
and their dealings with the Bakhtiaris; and ii), the prominent part played by
the Bakhtiaris in the history of Persia for the year, and their relations with
the British Government, the Oil Company, the Shaikh of Mohammerah, and
the Central Government.
For the Oil Company, the year was naturally a difficult one, both for their
employes and the management. At the start of an immense enterprise like
this, it is inevitable that numerous unforeseen difficulties, small and great,
should constantly arise and have to be met: and at one time dissensions among
the employes and the mismanagement at the Oil Fields, threatened to become
a serious menace to the interests of the Company, but happily the most critical
time has now passed, and the visit of two of the Directors, Messrs. Green­
way and Hamilton, at the end of the year or beginning of 1911, resulted in the
removal of the majority of outstanding difficulties and the infusion of a better
spirit among the Company’s employes. Since the visit of the Directors, there
has been a decided improvement in the working regime of the Company on

. ^ think I may leave Bakhtiari history, which I have already touched upon
incidentally, to Lieutenant Ranking’s full record, which is of much interest
but calls for no special comment in review.
In Pusht-i-Kuh, the feud in progress between the Wali and his son
Amanullah, may conceivably loom large in the history of the district during
the next few years. 6