Page 548 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF
52
Change of Agents.—In May, Mr. E. A. Wilson proceeded to take charge
of the Tehran Agency, being replaced by Mr. Redfern from that Agency, who
in turn was relieved in the month of October by Mr. Tod from Baghdad and
.went on leave to Europe.
Mr. Abel has remained Assistant throughout the year, and has been in
sole charge of the Transport business.
Progress of Work.—The laying of the pipe line was commenced in
.February under the direction of
Tho Anglo-Persian Oil Co.
Mr. Ritchie, Pipe-Line Superintendent,
assisted by a staff of 23 Europeans. Pipe laying continued throughout
the remainder of the year, but it is unlikely that the line will be complete
much before the end of 1911, as was foretold in the last Administration
Report of this Consulate.
The labour employed is, at an average figure 200 Bakhtiaris at the Field,
and, in the winter months, another number ranging not more than 100 for
road mending.
The Bakhtiari Guards employed by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company at
the Fields at the end of the year were as follows:—
At Masjid Suleiman Oil Field—
2 heads of guards,
11 sowars, and
26 footmen.
At Mamatain Field—
2 heads of guards,
10 sowars, and
16 footmen.
At pumping station—
2 heads of guards,
5 sowars, and
5 footmen.
Good medical work has been done at the Oil Fields among the Bakhtiaris
by Dr. M. Y. Young, Anglo-Pcrsian Oil Company, and during the summer,
while he was on leave in Europe, by Drs. M. Turnbull and'F. M. Kay who
both took turns up at the Field.
The Anglo-Persian Oil Company opened a pipe-line office in Ahwaz, in
the month of February, and a dispensary in the month of April, the latter in
the charge of Dr. M. Turnbull for a time, and, on his transfer at the end of
the year to the refinery on Abadan Island, in the charge of Dr. F. M. Kay.
(it) Relations with the Bakht.ioris.—The most notable of the Oil Com­
pany’s affairs with the Bakhtiaris during the year under review, was with
regard to land acquisition. The negotiations were opened in February by
Mr. G. B. Reynolds, then General Fields Manager, who, after grossly mis­
managing affairs, had, with the acquiescence of the Managing Agents, Messrs.
Lloyd Scott & Co., to hand over the conduct of negotiations to His
Majesty’s Consul; owing to the seriousness of the situation, His Majesty’s
Consul, accompanied by the Managing Agent, Mr. G. B. Lloyd, proceeded at
once on tour to visit the Bakhtiari Chiefs, who were then in Kina (near Ram
Hormuz). Eleven days were spent there in negotiations, which were both pro*
tracted and difficult, at the end of which, however, an Agreement was arrived
at whereby the Anglo-Persian Oil Company paid £5,000 “ on account ” for
all land already taken up or to be taken up to February—March 1911, when
the negotiations were to be commenced afresh—thereby rectifying the serious
blunders made by Mr. G. B. Reynolds, the General Fields Manager.
In July, owing to the absence of His Majesty’s Consul on long tour to
Ispahan, a Consular enquiry was held by Lieutenant A. T. Wilson, His
Majesty’s Acting Consul, Mohammerah, at the Oil Field, with regard to