Page 668 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

ADMN. REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 1011.
66
Xujj&r aa Pr^me Minister. The two continued on excellent terms and there
wfts at no time tne smallest cause for complaint on the part of this Consulate.
Agha Abdi was, as previously, Governor of Mohammerah. Owing to
the development of the town he was obliged to pay Liras 6,000 for the post in
place of Liras 6,000. He has at all times shown a very friendly spirit to­
wards the Consulate and, in the summer, married a sister of Mirza Ahmed
jvhan, the Mirza of the Consulate.
The Karguzar was at the opening of tho year Itila-cd-Dowleh. This
_ p official’s conduct was far from satis-
arguMr. factory. It was very soon certain that
he was sending various false reports to Tehran with reference to the relations
of the Shaikh and the English. He seemed to be especially opposed to
British interests, notably to the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, and continued
jnalicious and libellous reports appeared in the Tehran papers as well as in
those of Basrah and Baghdad the authorship of which was ascribed to him.
In the month of July he was dismissed, his official reports having passed all
credence and the Shaikh having refused to have any further dealings with
him. Y/itb his dismissal the reports in the papers ceased, and there is no
reasonable doubt that he was the author. He was a drunkard and, though
from all sources he made an income of some £1,000 per annum, he was hope­
lessly in debt and unable to pay his way to Basrah on his departure.
On the departure of the Karguzar, Haji Abdul Najid, Nusrat-ul-
Tujjar, a nephew of Haji Rais’s and formerly Mirza in this office, was
appointed temporarily to act in his place pending the arrival of Ikram-ul-
Mtilk, the new nominee from Tehran. Ikram-ul-Mulk was formerly at
Kerman and Seistan.
In January, Haji Ijlal-el-Memalik was appointed Rais-i-Adlieh and
oontinued so throughout the year. He proposes leaving for Tehran as he has
no work and equally receives no pay.
In March, Abul Scudat, an insignificant looking little man who appeared
to be hardly cane, was appointed Eais-i-Nazmich. He raised a police force
of some CO men but v/as seen no more after November. He was commonly
known as the Maimmun Bashi, the monkey chief.
Kustaufi-ul-Mulk wa3 appointed Rais-i-Kalieh in April and continued
so throughout the year, residing mainly at Ahwaz. A " young Persian,” he
has more moderation and education than many but has been unable to succeed
in doing much.
Shaikh Chasib, eldest son of Sir Khazal Khan, Was Governor at Ahwaz
most of the year, except for some time during the summer, when he went to
Basrah to be placed under charge of the German doctor attached to Messrs.
Wonckhaus with a view to treatment for syphilis. On his return he was
placed in charge of the Shaikh’s office in Mohammerah but returned to Ahwaz
in November..
In his absence Abdul Saiyid officiated.
In July cholera appeared at Basrah having worked its way down from
Ewfenk*. Amara. Epidemics of this disease are
popularly supposed to occur about every
seven years, first appearing either at Amara or the Muntafik. On July Ifitn,
two cases occurred on the Persian gun-boat M Persepolis ” in the Karon at
Mohmmerah, both being imported from Basrah. The ship was successfully
disinfected and no further case occurred, but soon after other cases were
discovered amongst people who had fled from Basrah and very shortly the
disease had obtained a hold in Mohammerah in a most virulent form, in many
cases those afflicted dying within a lew hours of the first symptoms, rendering
treatment practically impossible.
It very shortly spread to Ahwaz notwithstanding quarantine measures.
"Hie Jemadar and three sowars of the 36th Scinde Horse, who were travelling
from Mohammerah to Ahwaz en route to Ispahan in relief of the Consular
escort, were attacked and died.