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PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY, 1920. 21

CHAPTER III.

His Britannic Majesty’s Consulate, Kerman. Administration Report for
the year 1920.

Bis Britannic Majesty’s Consulate.
The charge of His Britannic Majesty’s Consulate was held by Lieutenant-
Colonel F. McConaghey, C. I. E., until Hist January, when he was relieved
by Major A. J. H. Grey who continued in charge to the close of the year.
Major A. J. H Grey held charge of the post of Vice-Consul till the 31st
January from which date Khan Sahib Abdul Alim act< d as Vice-Consul for
the rest of the year in addition to his other duties.
In the Gazette of India of 5th June Khan Sahib Abdul Alim was granted
the title of Khan Bahadur.

Political History.
Persiari Officials.—His Excellency Abul Fateh, Tabatabai, Hisbmat-ud-
Dauleb, who had been Governor-General since January 1918 was informed by
the Prime Minister on the 14th January
GovotT-or-Gcncrtil.
that Ja’afer Quli Khan, Sardar .Assad,
Bakhtiari, had been appointed Governor-General and asked to submit his
resignation. This he did on the 16th January and he left for Tehran on the
2nd February making over acting charge of his office to Sardar Nusrat;
Genuine regret was felt at the departure of Hishmat-ud Dauleli who was
popular with all classes and whose administration had on the -whole been
satisfactory and considerable uneasiness was expressed at the appointment of
a Bakhtiari who, it was anticipated, would follow the rapacious example set
by former Bakhtiari Governor-Generals.
On the 16th March Amir Mu’tamid arrived from Tehran and took
over the acting Governor-Generalship from Sardar Nusrat. A month later
Sardar Assad reached Kerman accompanied by Ins two brothers Amir Jang
and Sardar Bahadur, Saif-us-Saltaneh, Prince Mufakhar-us-Saltan eh and a
Medical attendant named Ahya-ul-Mulk.
Sardar Assad had given assurances both to His Majesty’s Minister at
Tehran, while his appointment to Kerman was under consideration, and to His
Majesty’s Consul on his arrival at Kerman, that he intended to work in com­
plete harmony with His Majesty’s Consul, appoint no Bakhtiari Deputy Go­
vernors to Districts and keep a firm hand on his Bakhtiari following and
prevent them from pillaging the country as had been the custom of the followers
of former Bakhtiari Governor-Generals.
These assurances he has, on the whole, carried out and his relations with
the Consulate and South Persia Rifles have been friendly and cordial. He has
refrained from making any change in the Governorships of Bam, Sirjan and
Baft, has maintained friendly relations with the influential Vakili and Sheikhi
families and has been no more rapacious in his demands than his predecessors.
He is however weak in character and is not much respected or feared.
Amir Mu’tamid discharged the duties of Deputy Governor from the date
of Sardar Assad’s arrival until his death
Deputy Governor.
which occurred in July. thereafter
Prince Mufakhar-us-Saltanch received the appointment, Hu is a colourless
individual with littlo character or energy and very much under the thumb of
the Governor-General