Page 185 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920

FOR TUB YEAR 191J. 45
/ooians 3,000 revenue from them, the first time these gentry have paid for
cjany years.
m Ho was also sent on another rovcnue-GOlIccting mission to Bandar Dlia-
Uha, Tahri, KanSun» etc, on the 18th October, ifi the 8. 8. “Muzaffcri”, and
away till the 21st December, his brother Mirza Muhammad Ali Khan
acting ia his stead.
Karbalai Muhammad Hasan was Deputy-Governor, Minab, till the end
0f February, when he resigned the post and proceeded to Bushire The 8huja-
j.Jfizam thereupon appoiuted his sou, Kohandal Khan, Deputy-Governor
to tho post, which he retained up to the end of the year. He appears
to ba\e been very high-handed in his dealings with the Persians hut had the
pjnse not to molest British subjects. However, towards the close of the year
it was rumoured that he was not wholly disinterested in the arms traffic;
^formal representations were therefore male to the Shuja-i-Nizam and he
ffas removed a few days after the close of the year.
As usual there have been several changes during the year among tho Belgian
CuBtcmi Director of Customs at this Port, and the
system of constantly transferring their
officials from one place to another which appears to find favour at Tehran,
continues, to the great detriment of commercial interests. Monsieur
Zwinne held the appointment from the 1st January till the 20th starch, when
he was transferred to Bushire and handed over charge of the office to a com­
mittee of 3 Persian clerks. On the 30th March Monsieur Willemsens arrived
from. Lingah and assumed charge of the post: he remained in charge till the
Cth October when he was relieved by Monsieur Fourman from Mohammcrah,
uho remained in charge to the end of the year; hi) contract howe\cr expires
early in 1914, and he is anxious to proceed on leave.
Deference was made in last year's report to the conduct of Monsieur
Zwinne; his departure therefore was iu no way regretted. Monsieur Willemsens,
his successor, can be summed up in the words " well-meaning hut incom­
petent ”. Soon after his arrival he started squabbling with the Deputy
Governor over financial matters, and the tension continued until his depar­
ture. ne appeared to regard himself as morally responsible fin* the general
conduct of the Deputy-Governor, a heavy burden to assume, and his attempted
reformation of the latter’s character dicl not conduce to friendly relations
between them.
Moreover on arrival here he discovered a large deficit in the Customs cash
chest, and thus gained the hostility of his predecessor, Monsieur Zwinne, who
was now his superior at Bushire. Feeling himself thus unsupported he tried
to induce His Majesty’s Consul to act as mediator in his various disputes
with the local authorities, a idle which Captain Biscoe declined to assume.
His administration of the Customs also was singularly unsuccessful: filled
with a zeal for reform, he took hut little count of the realities of the situation,
and instead of endeavouring to make the best of the means at his disposal
be spent his time in elaborating schemes, most of which were counsels of
perfection. He was extremely honest and obliging, and filled with good
intention, but utterly unpractical. His successor, Monsieur Fourmari, was
already known at Bandar Abbas, having served here for three months in 1911,
and is the best Director of Customs that has held charge here of recent times;
firm with his employes, and tactful in his dealings with the local authorities
and general public, his administration of the Customs leaves little to he
desired. If only it were possible for him to remain here for some time several
much-needed reforms could probably ho put in hand, but, as mentioned above,
fie is already due for leave.
The trade routes continued peaceful and 6eoure throughout the year,
except for a brief period in February
Condition of the country.
and March when the distriot was overrun
by a large force of Baharlu sowars. By a happy ohance no caravans coi-
vcying goods belonging to British morchants were travelling at the time,
&nd the only caravan which, was robbed was one carrying merchandise
belonging to Persian subjects. Throughout the year large quantities of
Merchandise wero sent up to the interior, and reached their distination in safely.