Page 592 - PERSIAN 2C 1890_1899_Neat

8 ADMINISTRATION REPORT ON THE PERSIAN GOLF POLITICAL
account of thefts, robborios, etc. Sinoe I toolc over charge in June 1897, there
have been 30 claims for compensation aggregating Krone 3,04,664. Nearly
all these have been disposed of and the claims either, compromised or paid in
full. While I was at Shiraz, I managed, with the assistance of Captain Sykes,
Consul at Kerman, to dispose of 17 cases in direct communication with the
Firman Firma. The amount claimed was Krans 32,275, and a compromise
was arrived at for Krans 19,626, which was distributed amongst the various
claimants.
In August last a serious robbery took place from a lighter bringing pieoe-
goods from the 8, 8. “ Parran ” to the Customs House. The lighter was
supposed to have capsized during the night, but in reality her cargo was
removed and banded over to certain Persian merchants, who actually des­
patched a portion to Shiraz, where I was at the time. Fortunately the crime
was discovered and traced home, with the result that the guilty persona were
punished and obliged to make good the value of the stolen property, which
came to about Krans 1,50,000. The lesson has been a very beneficial one, as
it has probably put an end to a system of fraudulent jettisons, which are
generally believed to have been going on, and which were causing the Insur­
ance Companies much loss and annoyance. The assistance given by the
Governor in the disposal of this case deserves special notice.
Claims on behalf of the Telegraph Department for Government and other
property taken at the time of Mr. Graves* death have been made good by the
Persian Government, who hare recently remitted Krans 16,841, which have
been handed over to the Department.
Mr. Sealy*s recent visit to Cbarbar on the Makran Coast has resulted in
the partial settlement of a number of claims for compensation put forward by
British Indian subjects there. Mr. Sealy met the Mamoor, who represents
the Persian Government, and Mowladad Khan, the new Baluchi Governor of
Persian Baluchistan, and came to an understanding with them, which will
probably result in a complete settlement of these questions during the coming
year.
Generally, out of claims aggregating Krans 3,16,947 at Bushire, Krans
2,02,190, equivalent to about Rs. 56,164, have been recovered from the Persian
authorities, leaving a sum of Krans 1,02,108 still recoverable. This, however,
includes Krans 40,000 on account of the outrages committed at the house of
Mahmoud, the Telegraph Jemadar, and at the Bushire Residency in March 1898.
This was delayed as it was hoped that the money could be recovered direct
from Ali Khan, hut, as this has been found impossible, we have been obliged
to go to the Persian Government, who will now be obliged to take active
measures against the culprits.
Mail robberies.—The Persian Post Kossid, who left Bushire for Shiraz
on the 8th of October 1898, was attacked and killed near Khan-zanyan. The
robbers, who belonged to the Rai-Rahmat tribe, carried off all the parcels and
cash. The Governor-General of Pars sent about 40 sowars under an officer
to punish the robbers, but beyond recovering some of the parcels nothing was
done. °

2.—OMAN—MASKAT.
Major C. G, F. Fagan, 18.C., was Political Agent throughout the year,
and his report accompanies as Part II of this compilation.

8.—OMAN—PIRATE COAST.

Affairs appear to have proceeded quietly on this coast durin» the past
*“*».tb?re bave “0 casualties among the trucial Chiefs. I fully
intended visiting the coast during the winter, but work elsewhere prevented