Page 698 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 1011.
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Fortunately one of the divers, who eeemed to bo proof against thoir
bulleta, was spared and later on escaped end gave information, which with
other parallel evidenoo obtained from the Trucial Coast, demonstrated beyond
all doubt the identity of the wrecked dhow and the ringleader of the pirate
crcw. They were found to hail from the Tangistani villages under Baraki
a few mile3 east of Buchire. The Governor of Buehiro whose co-operation
was asked, as usual, repudiated responsibility on the ground that this part
of the coast was under the Governor-General of Fare. The latter on being
applied to, pretended to take action but did nothing. The “ Lawrence ’’
went out immediately to cruise in the hope of cutting them off, but withQut
success.
Later the question got bound up with the problem of the action to be
taken by the Persian Government to punish the community on the Shiraz
road responsible for the attack on Consul Smart, and in conjunction with
this question was in abeyance at the close of the year.
The £00 odd rifles and ammunition captured were handed over by the
Shaikh and destroyed under the orders of Government, the sum of Rs. 2,000
being sanctioned for presentation to tho Shaikh in recognition of his action.
It is recognised that m thus seizing the arms from the i'angistanis, Shaikh
Butti acted creditably and in the interests of the British and Persian Gov­
ernments, and that no effort should he neglected to ensure that this piracy,
costing the lives of eight of his subjects, which was the immediate, result of
it, shall be visited with just retribution.
In other matters, Shaikh Butti's conduct and regime was difficult and
unsatisfactory. The “ Hyacinth ” incident of December 1910 is not only not
forgotten, but is brought up at every turn as a justification for a retrograde
and anti-foreign attitude in all matters of administration. Tku3 the Shaikh
pretends that owing to the ill-feeling then engendered, his dependents will
not tolerate any improvement in the postal arrangements; that he cannot
guarantee the safety of Europeans landing at his port, etc., etc.
There is no bond fides about these pretensions, but short of the deposi­
tion of the present Shaikh and his replacement by a more satisfactory Ruler,
ro speedy remedy suggeste itself, other than the institution of specific
measures by Government for strengthening our practical control and defining
our jurisdiction over the Trucial Coast generally.
Aa opportunity for 6uch consolidation will, it is hoped, be found in the
project under contemplation for includ­
Wi IutflfelMa it Zon.
ing, in a comprehensive wireless scheme
for the Gulf, a wireless station at Zora, the strip of debateable coast between
Hamriyah and Ajman, which has been selected as a politically convenient and
practically feasible site for that purpose.
P. Z. COX, Lieutenant-Colonel,
Political Resident in the Persian Gulf.

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