Page 28 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920

18 PERSIAN GULF ADMINISTRATION REPORT
The principal rival elements were ranged as follows:—
(1) Zair Khndhar of Tangistan in alliance with Ahmed Khan 0f
Angali against Shaikn Husoin of Chahkutah.
(2) Agha Haidar and brothers of Chaghadak and Tul-i-Siah against the
inhabitants of Buneh-i-Gaz who were aided by Zair Khadhar of
Tangistan.
(3) Ghazanfar-es-Sultanoh of Borasjun in alliance withNur Muhammad
Khan of Daliki against Ismail Khan of Shabankarch, father-iu.
law of the former.
(4) Nur Muhammad Khan of Daliki and his brother Husein Beg of
Kunar Takhteh against Mulla Kuli of Kumarij supported by
Ismail Khan of Shabankareh.
(5) Ismail Khan of Shabankareh and Muhammad Khan, Kashkuli,
against Agha Sardar of Khisht and other Khisht elements sun.
ported by the Daliki Khans.
(6) The late Khurshid Beg of Kumarij against Ali Muhammad the
Kumarij outlaw aided by Muhammad Ali Khan, Kashkuli.
(7) Nasir-ud-Diwau, Kalantar of Kazcrun, against Muhammad Ali
Khan, Kashkuli.
(8) 8owlet-ed-Dowleh, Kashgai, with Ayyaz Kikha Darashuri, against
former’s half brother Zeigham-ed-Dowleh supported by other
Kashgai Kalaniars and Kawam-ul-Mulk.
Mukhbir-es-Sultaneh announced, in December, that he had appointed the
Governor of the Gulf Ports to the governance of Dashti and Dashtistan, but
the latter declined to accept the responsibility unless provided with a force for
maintaining his authority in collecting revenue. Meanwhile the Governor
General’s communications and his attitude towards local Khans betrayed such
ignorance of the elementary facts of the situation as to occasion much scornful
comment amongst local notables who showed no disposition to co-operate.
The Nizam-e3-8ultaneb, whose doings are related in the Mohammerah
Administration Report, has not figured in the local politics of Pars during the
year under report: the proscription against him was removed, at the interven­
tion of His Majesty’s Legation, in March, and he shortly afterwards pledged his
Pars properties (Khisht 6 dang, Daliki 3 dang, Zirah 3 dang, Nabardeh
3 dang) to Shaikh Khazal of Mohammerah. The latte-' endeavoured to collect
the revenues of these districts, but with only partial success. The revenue
of the village of Zirah above mentioned in the district of the same name, had
been pledged together with other lands to the Russian Bank in Tehran by the
Nizam, and was one of the items redeemed by the Imperial Bank of Persia,
under circumstances detailed in the Mohammerah report.
The Turko-Italian and Tarko-Balkan wars, though they evoked manifesta­
tions of platonic sympathy on the Arab side of the Gulf, aroused but little
interest on the Persian littoral, the population of which is almost exclusively
Shiah; nor was the excitement caused by the despatch of British troops to
Shiraz, in December 1911, more than transitory, the relations of the Residency
with the district chief and in particular with Haidar Khan of Hayat Daud,
Husein Khan of Chahkutah, Ismail Khan of Shabankareh and Ahmed Khan
of Argali remaining cordiaL In maintaining t these relations Mr. H. G. Chick#
Commercial Adviser and His Majesty’s Vice-Consul, was largely instrumental.
The situation at Shiraz continued to dominate the political horizon of South'
"Western Persia throughout the year and it
81taati<m at 8hiitL
is becoming increasingly plain that it i*
primarily by our treatment of the problem of the Bushire-Shiraz road that our
policy in South* Western Persia will be judged, and conversely, that our action
in the matter will directly affect, one way or another, our position and polio/
elsewhere in the neutral zone.
The year has been so fall of incidents of significance and historical impor*
tance that it is no easy matter to deal with the record within the compass of
an Administration Report. It seems best to describe briefly the various phase3
of the situation and let them tell their own tale.