Page 534 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920

16 ANNUAL REPORT OP THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL RESIDENCY

tho Democrats and of the anti-monarchical movement in general, and considered
it both necessary and convenient to 'sacrifice tho Sarnar on the Democratic
altar.
Having, as ho thought, securer! the Consulate’s neutrality, the Prince
early in Novcmbor removed Sardar Nusrat from the Deputy Governorship ami
refused to have any dealings with him at all. At the same time ho urged the Shah
by telegram to summon the Sardur to Tehran, and arranged, through Ihtishatn
for the Democrats to send numerous telegrams to the Persian Government
againpt him. Later, he obtained the Sardar’s dismissal from the Inst of hig
dignities, the Headship of the local Army. The Snrdar and his friends did not,
of course, lie down under this treatment; they too endeavoured frequently and
at great length to enlist the support of His Majesty’s Consulate, and send
frequent telegrams to Tehran against the Governor General. Early in Novem­
ber orders came that Sardar Nusrat should be sent to Tehran.'* This could
not be allowed, as it would have meant the utter ruin and spoliation of the
Sardar, his family and property; and after correspondence with His
Majesty’s Vice-Consul on the subject His Majesty’s Minister sent a m< ssige
to the Sardar advising him not to leave Kerman. Tho Prince Governor
was much put .out by the opposition of His Majesty’s Vice-Consul, and
informed the latter, on December the 1st, that he had sent in his resignation,
as bis honour was Involved and he could not remain in Kerman an hour
longer if the Sardar stayed. His Majesty’s Vice-Consul, who had throughout
been working for a reconciliation, induced the Prince to remain at liis post,
pointing out that, having reduced the Sardar to the position of a private citizen,
he could afford to leave him alone. The year ended with prospects of a recon­
ciliation apparently more hopeful, though it was destined that, as early as 8th
January 1918, hostilities chould be re-opened against the Sardar and other Anglo­
philes by the Prince and the Democrats, resulting in the discomfiture of the
latter party and the final departure of the Governor General.
Apart from his relations with His Majesty’s Consulate in connection with
the Governor General and Kurdistani,
8ardar Nngrat-
Sardar Nusrat has continued to be on
friendly terms with the British and, on occasion, of considerable use to them.
Though his efforts to produce recruits for the South Persia Rifles have been
somewhat barren of result, Consulate and South Persia Rifles alike have been
sure of help in any ordinary matter referred by them to the Sardar, whose great
local influence usually renders such help effective. It cannot be doubted that
the Sardar’s attitude is dictated largely by self-interest and his conviction that
the British are here to stay; but this fact does not necessarily detract from his
utility, and in any case his friends must take him as they find him. Himself a
landowner on a considerable scale, he has also been, since 1916, the lessor of the
Farman Farma’s extensive properties in the Kerman province ; in both capaci­
ties he has a stake in the country which renders his goodwill a relatively stable
factor in the situation.
Mirza Assadullah Khan Kurdistani arrived towards the end of January
and took over the Revenue Department
The Iie/enu« Department.
from Banan-ud-DowIeh. His Majesty’s
Consul had unsuccessfully opposed the appointment of Kurdistani, as
being certain to lead to. trouble; and the', event-proved him risrht: Very
soon after his arrival, however, , it became clear that whatever Kurdistani8
private motives might be, * he was' going to apply himself energetically
to the collection of revenue; and as the finances of Kerman were faced,
near the end of the financial year, with a much larger deficit than ever
before, His Majesty’s Consul decided to comply with the new Agent’s urgent
request for aid. Kurdistani’s ancient enemy in these parts was Sardar Nusrat,
and he began by accusing the latter of being the cause of the bankruptcy
of the province owing to his policy of forcing the Revenue Department
grant him wholesale remissions of revenue on account of imaginary calamity
to the crops. His Majesty’s Consul arranged several meetings at
Kurdistani, the Governor General and Sardar Nusrat discussed with him
and meins of collecting the current year’s arrears of revenue. The chief
culty vras one that is inherent in the anomalous position of the Finance

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