Page 144 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

0 PERSIAN GULP ADMINISTRATION REPORT

Major Haworth lays stress on the importance of clearly informing
Persian Government of tho oxaot position of affaire between us and Sh
Sir Khazal Khan, and the necessity under which wo lio of seeing that ' ^
Excellency’s rights nro respected. Hi*
Captain Grey gives an interesting account of the unsuccessful Bahht*
expedition against the JCuhgclu triu .
***' February, and shows how the result
May was that tho Sirdar-i-Jang was eventually obliged to disburso a modi^j
f< blackmail ” in the shape of pay to Kuhgelu road guards, a temporary palliat;tC<^
very satisfactory for tho Kuhgelu tribesmen and not unfavourable for tr!?’
during tho summor montlis. Time alone will show whethor the criticism^^r
tho olher Bakhtiari Chiefs who condemn this arrangement arc well
founded-
Much of the report is taken up with the dispute between tho Shaikh of
Moharamcrah and tho Sirdar-i-Jang over the Jarrahi lands. Actual fi^htin©
was circumvented with difficulty, but a satisfactory settlement, which,0 it jj
hoped, may prove lasting, was at last arrived at, in November, when the title
deeds of the lands in dispute were at length made over to Shaikh Khazal.
The work of tho Anglo-Persian Oil Company proceeded satisfactorily \n
this part of tho country, and the relations between tho Company and the
Bakhtiaris were excellent.
This Agency has seen a troubled year. The politics of the interior were
in a state of turmoil and a serious risin®
.Masbat.
of the tribes clouded the last few months
of the rule of His Highness Sir Saiyid Faisal bin Turki, G. C. I. E. The latter
died in the early days of October after a reign of 25 years. His successor and
oldest son, Saiyid Taimur, camo peaceably to power, on tbo 15th November,
and letters from the French and British Consuls, announcing his recognition as
Sultan by their respoctive Governments were presented to His Highness.
The Maskat Warehouse for the storage of arms and ammunition offered
for sale to the Omani public and other approved purchasers would appear, from
the figures g:vea by the Political Agent, to hare justified its existence. Two
notable figures of Maskat local celebrity, the arms trader Ali Musa Khan and
tbo Customs Superintendent, Abdul Karim have, at least temporarily, been
removed from Oman owing to the'r contravention of the regulations of this
useful institution.
Ua/ortunately there is little room for doubt that to the practical suppres­
sion of the arms traffic is also due the formidable rising among the tribes that
has darkened Oman history during the year under report, and, but for British
support, would still some months later be a serious menace to the continued
existence of Maskat as the capital. The Agency report gives a full history of
the rising, and it is not too much to say that it was only the timely arrival of
the 2nd Rajputs under Lieut.-Colonel Smith, coupled with the strong support
of His Majesty’s snips, in the early days of July, that saved the Sultanate.
Maskat indeed cannot be too grateful to Bushire for the prompt response to
His Highness’s appeal for help, by which, within 3 days, the Rajput AVing
landed ready for any work that they might be called on to do, at llattra.
Lieut.-Colonel Smith and his men fell tho full brunt of preparing for the land
defence of Maskat and Mattra in tho torrid heat of July and August and y4*
that means only those who have lived in Maskat really know. The conduct
of tho troops, as indeed was only to be expected, and their relations with tM
inhabitants have been excellent.
Tho end of the Abu Musa Oxide Case 6coms at last, after a lapse of 7
Aba Musa. years, within measurable distance of
Oxide. solution. Messrs. Wonckhaus u
have agreed in principle to accept a lump sum down in settlement.
Figures have been put forward, through the Gorman Embassy in
as a basis for estimating tho compensation for tho cancellation of tho coot# •
after due examination, it is proposed to submit tho figures, supplied by * .
firm, to an independent tribunal, possessing tho business experience ncces» /
to fix tho amount of compensation eventually to bo paid,