Page 739 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY, 1020. 5
tliis report. Mussadiq-cs-Sultanch bonefittod from the strong support and
advice of tho Qawam-ul-Mulk, whose influence throughout Furs is very
great.
In December Mohamed Ibrahim Farrash Bnshi of Nasr Diwan of Kazerun
was released. While it was indisputable that he had taken a loading part in
the murder of Wills and 8ergeant Coomber at Khcnoh Ziman it had proved
impossible to secure conviction. He was released on condition that a suitable
security was deposited that he did not return to Kazerun and that he took no
retaliatory measures against witnesses in the case.
After tho tribes had migrated to their summer quarters Salar Hishmat
Hbcgi suddenly attacked Ayaz Kikha and result of which was the division of
tho Darashuri tribe again and Nasrullah Khan and Ali Penah claimed most of
the tribe. Sardar Ehteshem, however, would not agree to the dismissal of
Ayaz Kikha as Kalantar and handed over the money of the tribe to Ayaz Kika
and his son. Salar Hishmat was expected to resign in consequence of this
but did not do so. This was the only important instance of inter-tribal fighting
during the year. During the summer months Sardar Ehteshem lay seriously
ill in Ispahan. In September a tentative rapprochement was arrived at
between the Qawam-ul-Mulk and the Soulat-ed-Dowleh which consisted of an
agreement not to interfere in each other’s affairs and the deposit of 20,000
tomans each in the hands of the leading Shroff in Shiraz. Nothing came of
this, however, as the money was not doposited.
While Prince Arfa-ed-Dowlch the Persian representative of the League of
Nations was proceeding from Isfahan to 8hiraz en route for Geneva all his
baggage was looted including his credentials. The culprits were Ayaz Kikha’s
D .rashuris. Tho Qawam-ul-Mulk accompanied by a party of South Persian
Rifles lator effected the recovery of the Prince’s property.
Towards the end of the year endeavours were being made to settle the
question of Soulat-ed-Dowleh -who in the opinion of tho majority of those who
carried any weight, was the only man strong enough to bo II Khani.
There have been no noteworthy events in Eehbehan during tho year.
The usual chronic state of unrest and raid
Bohbchan.
and counter raidcontinued during the
year. At the end of the year one Agha Baba Khan was sent to Bohbehan
from Sheraz to look after the work of the elections.
Hayat Daud under Haider Khan’s good and wise government remains
still peaceful and contented. His advice
Haynt Daud and Lirawi.
in current local politics is frequently
sought and as freely given.
Agha Khan of Lirawi was perturbed at the advent of Haji Sayed-es-
Sultaneh the owner of Lirawi from Europe. This gentleman wanted to sell
Lirawi to the Sheikh of Mohammerah, a project viewed writh much alarm and
dissatisfaction by Agha Khan and Haider Khan but the matter fell through
eventually. Rumours that the Bakhtiaris had bought Lirawi were frequent
but unfounded.
The many changes in the Cabinet in Teheran have not affected Bushire
in the least, Bushiro being thoroughly
Buihir«.
self-centred and quite indifferent to
the politics of the far away capital. In the same way the threat of
Bolshevism in the North was merely a subject of idle conversation and
nothing more. There is an under current of anti-British feolings which is
never very apparent but is none the less there. At the end of December
elections took place in Bushire and out of 5 candidates for the two seats Mirza
Ali Kazeruni secured more than half of the total number of votes. This man,
who is in Teheran, was notorious during the war as Wassmuss’s right hand
man, and had been strongly anti-Hritish even before the w ar. The candidate
who secured 2nd place Mirza Mahmud Behbehnni was disqualified as under
age and Shaikh Abdul Kerim of Shiraz, a man of no note, secured the 2nd
scat.
The commercial life of Busbire suffered a sovero shock in the autumn owine
to the bankruptcy of the Qassmieh Company in Shiraz who had a branch here,