Page 67 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

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RESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1005-1006 87

Charter V.—BTJNDER ABBAS ADMINISTRATION REPORT FOR
1905-1906.
General "Remarks.—At the outset it may be observed that the district
now under rcpoit has not hitherto been noted upon separately from the usual
Annual Report of the Persian Gulf Residency. It will therefore be advisable
to mention here that during the latter part of 1904 the status of the Assistant
Resident and His Britannic Majesty’s Vice-Consul for Bunder Abbas was
raised to that of Consul and bis jurisdiction extended to include the following
« Bunder Abbas, Shamilat, Lingah and Minab with the Shibkuli ports (as far
as Mugam on the west), all the islands belonging to Persia in the eastern part
of the" Persian Gulf and the coast of Persia eastwards as far as Gwetter.”
The extent of country is very considerable and can be thoroughly supervised
only by constant tourinsr, facilities for which are at present rather difficult
of arrangement. At the same time during the period under report the
Director, Persian Gulf Telegraphs, remains ex-officio Political Officer for the
Mekran Coast and hitherto the Assistant Resident at Bunder Abbas has had 1
nothing to do with districts cast of Mirab, beyond the registration of British
enhjents residing at the Telegraph Stations on that coast.
Rainfall and harvest hobeen fairly good, though forecasts of scarcity
were made and the opportunity taken to prohibit the export of cereals.
The year has been marked especially by the collection of information for
the new Persian Gulf Gazetteer, the linking up of Bunder Abbas with the rest
of the world by telegraph and tiie establishment of a Russian Consulate at
the port.
Changes in Local authorities.—Thece unfortunately continue to he so
very frequent that the work of the Assistant Resident is greatly hampered by
long and frequent repetitions of the same cases or subjects to succeeding
officials all of whom being aware of the probable shortness of tbeir stay
endeavour to evade doing anything definite throughout the time of their office.
The result is a large and ovcr-giowin? number of pending matters, the ultimate
solution of which becomes more aod more difficult and less and less likely with
each succeeding official.
Eaji Mahomed Khan (a half-brother of His Excellency the Daria Begi)
was Deputy Governor up to the 10th May 1905, having been appointed to the
post just six months previously. He was replaced by Safar Ali Khan, who
was himself replaced again by the Daria Begi’s half-brotber, Haji Mahomed
Khan, on the 23rd December 1905 ; the latter has continued in office up to
date.
The Karguzari has continued in the hands of Mirza Abdullah, Midhat-
ul-Wazara, who has not distinguished himself by any more readiness to
assist this Consulate than that displayed during the past four years of his
tenure of the post.
The Director of Customs has throughout the period under report been
Monsieur A. Stas, a Belpian.
A change in the Deputy Governorship of Lingah took place early in
July 1905 as the result of the* representations of this Consulate, when Haji
Talib Kban was exiled and replaced by Mirza Ismail Khan, a former Deputv
Governor of Bunder Abbas. He continued to bold office until he too was
replaced by Safar Ali Khan, mentioned above, on the 25th March 1906.
There is no Karguzari at Lingah.
The Director of Customs at Lingah throughout the year has been
Monsieur J. Bourgeois.
Shamilat has been under the rule of the Kalant&r Assadullah Khan
except for a short interregnum of about two months during April and May
1905. *