Page 159 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920

PGR THE TEAR 101S. 19
*ih Governor, well and good. If not, events must take their course and, in
, opinion and that of Governor, his deposition will bo inevitable. 8hould
liter alternative occur, it would bo desirable that force of gendarmerie now
0 road between here anrl Kazerun should bo strengthened by few hundred
simply as military precaution. No other ntop would be required from
[Jcui» and there would, in my opinion, be no fighting*
••Only influential Kalantars on Sowlet’a side are Muhammad Ali Khan,
iraslikuli, Ayyaz Kiklia, Darashuri, and there is litcle doubt that both would
desert him immediately if lie were deposed. Indeed I bear that already hiA
remaining adherents are leaving him in anticipacion of this event.
Ueanwhilo conduct of Mubamma l Ali Khan is greater scandal than drat.
lour Excellency is already acquainted with our causes of complaint against
him. Since my arrival hc>c ho and his men have been concernea in numerous
^ecs of highway, robbery round about SUalipur, etc. He lias now attained
such an influential position that he has made himself practically master of
large areas north and. north-west of Shiraz. I have recently received detailed
reports of his.proceedings from reliable eyo witnesses. He is building series
of forts in neighbourhood of Ardakhau and terrorises whole country in that
dia'crion. I have seen leitor wiiiton by him to friend in Shiraz announcing
j,is intention of opposing any. Governor of Mamasanni country 6ent from
Shiraz, and it is known that he intends to make himself master of that dis­
trict also. There are many other grounds of complaint against them with
which I will not troub’o you now. Man, in fact, is public nuisance, and his
suppression sooner or later is inevitable. As to replacement of Sowlet, there
iss:rong general feeling now that time has come for removing Ilkkaniship
from that family None of members can really control tribe. Governors
idea is that Ilkhaniship should be made Government appointment and that
Ilkhani should govern tribe through medium of ICalantars. In this I entirely
agree. In event of present Ilkhani being changed now, Ilkbaniship could
be vested as temporary measure on Sowlet-es-Suitanch who is Ilbegi, while
question of future g ivcrnuicat of tribe was being discussed at Tehran ”
The removal of Sowlet was not favourably regarded by the Central
authorities at Tehran, and an attempt was made by the Ears authorities to
induce him to come to Shiraz, so that a temporary settlement could be patched
up between the Ilkhani and his tribal Kalantars.
His Majesty’s Minister was of the opinion that the deposition of Sowlet-ed-
Dnvleh would be calculated to engender discord and disorder, while Colonel
Hjalmarson, of the gendarmerie “ deprecated very strongly the use of the
ge idirmes for the purpose of compassing the overthrow of Sowlet for two
reasons; firstly because Sjwlet was the one man in Ears who had rendered the
gendarmerie cordial assistance, and had enabled them to take possession of &
portion of the road, and assist in the suppression of the extortion of illegal road
taxes, and that ho felt it would now be a treacherous act that might be quoted
elsewhere adversely against the gendarmerie, were his men to operate against
him, secondly, he thought that it would be a mistake to get the gendarmerie
mixed up in an affair which might develop into action agaiust a powerful
tribe.”
In November, His Majesty’s Consul reported to His Majesty’s Minister
that the Sowlet-ed-Dowlch had never been an entirely satisfactory IlkhanL
"Apart from bis various adventures and shortcomings in the past, his
attitude towards the present Governor-General has been characterised by
^accusing suspicion and lack of candour. One of the Mukhbir-es-8uUaneh’8
first administrative acts on taking charge of the province was to reappoint the
Wlct-ed-Dowleh as Ilkhani of the Kashgais, and he has ever since endeavoured
to maintain friendly relations with him, and to inspire him with confidence.
It is quite comprehensible tlint the Sowlct-ed-Dowleh should entertain a doen
tot rust of all Persian officials and their ways: but this is carried to an ubsurd
e*lont when the Ilkhani, oven when guaranteed his personal safety by the
British Consul and the Belgian Finance Agent, refuses to come into Shirai to
^eot the Govornor-Goneral in a friendly conference.”
The Sowlet, however, continued to hold the position of Ilkhani of the
*aahgais to the end of the year.