Page 68 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

68 ADMINISTRATION REPORT ON THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL

In Minab Kerbclai Mahomed Hassan lias continued as Deputy
Governor during the period of this report. He is a nominee of the Moin-ut-
Tujar and has always shown himself as very well-disposed towards this
consulate.
Bormus and Kishm Islands have remained under the charge of the
Knlanter Mirza Khalil and the Sheikh Hassan respectively, also bothnominees
of the Moin-ut-Tujar.
Attitude of Persian officials.—It may be noted here that the attitude of
the local Persian officials is renderod so apathetio, if not actually hostile, by
their venality that it becomes exceedingly difficult for the British representa­
tive to bring about satisfactory settlements in the cases of claims preferred
by British subjects as well as in other matters of some political importance.
Fraudulent bankruptcy, connived at by the local authorities, is not unknown,
the plea of abjoct poverty when raised is generally supported by them and
action, whenever possible, is delayed in order to enable the defendant,
absconder or accused to escape into the interior, when the plea of want of
jurisdiction is put forward and no course remains hut reference to one
authority after another, a process which may be continued for years without
any real definite result. I mention the above as the interests affected are
almost entirely those of our British Indian subjects, who have been the
pioneers of our influence in this part of Persia.
Public Peare and Tranquillity.—Looting of caravans has not been so
bad as in former years, though during April 1905 two caravnue were luuied
near Ahmadi on the Kerman road, a favo-urito place for such depredations,
lying as it does on the border of the Pars aud Kerman provinces. During
May some apprehension was caused in the country north of Bunder Abbas
owir.g to the presence of one Kal Siraj, a late Kaiantar of Finn who having
been ejected from that post wandered about the Shamil district for some time
with a following of about a hundred mm ; he did not however commit any
serious damage. In August his followers visited the Assistant Resident’s camp
nt Ginao village, but beyond volunteering the information that knowing the
camp was that of the British Consul and that for that reason they had no
intention of looting it, they did nothing.
On the 19tli March 1906 a party of 15 persons with whom were three
sowars of the Kerman Consular escort relief were held up near Baghu 15
miles from Bunder Abbas and stripped of everything they possessed. Partial
satisfaction for this outrage has already been obtained, and it is hoped that
the local authorities will eventually, after the usual pressing, compensate the
Indian Government by paying the value of the remaining articles taken and
not returned.
In December 1905 an affray took place between some customs officials and
villagers at Kolat-i-Bala in which 4. men were wounded, of whom one sub­
sequently died.
At Lingah a serious incident occurred in which certain Laris and
Girashis to the number of nearly 100 surrounded the house of the British
Agent and there caused a riot. Afterwards they continued to surround the
house, but quietly, alleging that they desired to complain against the British
Agent’s action in the settlement of a case of the bankruptcy of a Hindu and
had therefore taken “bast” under the British flag which flew over the
Agent’s house. The incident was engineered by a notorious mischief-maker,
Haii Ali Lari, who managed either to overawe or to cajole the Deputy Governor
anfficiently to take his side and identify himself with the rioters. *1 he incident
necessitated several visits of His Majesty’s Consul to the spot and eventually
after 17 days the crowd was dispersed, tHe Deputy Governor deposed and both
Haji Ali Dari and the Deputy Governor (Haji Talib Khan) exiled from
Iiogah. An attempt was subsequently made to get this sentence against
both the men rescinded, but this was fortunately frustrated.
The sentence and the manner in which it was enforced bad a most
beneficial effect not only in Lingah but along the whole coast from Mugam to
Minab in the re-assertion of British prestige.
Public Health and Quarantine.—The whole district lias been fortunate
in not having suffered from any serious epidemic, either of cholera or plague,