Page 83 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920

FOR THE TEAR 1912. 73
, of affair9 which in the circumstances was undesirable. A loan was accord-
ly arranged through the Imperial Bank of Persia, but before it was complet-
Jhj Nizam, evidently acting on private information, found it desirable to
J * c Persia hurriedly. (A telegram which arrived immediately on his depar­
ture cancelled the permission he had received to go to Europe except vid
Tehran)-
In the circumstances the Shaikh agreed to push through the loan of 70,000
toman3 in his own name and to liquidate the debt to the Russian Bank, rooeiv-
• „ ^ security for the debt the temporary control of all the Nizam’s lands in
JJjabistan ana the south of Persia.
As the Shaikh has backed the undertakings which the Nizam has given ua
the arrangement is satisfactory.
The relations between His Majesty’s Consulate and the Shaikh have been
Bdtfou. with the sum,. excellent throughout the year. Hie Ex-
cellency has done everything that he can
to show liis appreciation of the favourable position which he holds with respect
to the British Government and has given us constant practical proofs of his
goodwill*
In the summer, when the Turco-Pcrsian frontier question was to the fore,
te received the thanks of Sir Edward Grey for the readiness with which he ac­
cepted our views and propositions. In November he gave to His Majesty’s
Government an option over the whole of the shores of the Khor Musa and its
tributaries to a distance of a mile inland, an undertaking which should prove of
great value should we extend the railway to that place. For this option the
Shaikh received the thanks of His Majesty’s Government.
The present Consulate bcin<* hardly worthy of the British Government
vrhen compared with the fine buildings erected by the local firms, it has been
decided to build something more suitable. In September His Excellency pre­
sented us with an excellent site on the River ICarun, two acres in extent, for
the erection of a new Consulate. The land has been given on a free lease for
sixty years.
The above will show the feelings by which the Shaikh is now actuated to­
wards us and it is to he trusted that the feeling will continue, and that the
bonds by which he is drawn to the British Government will become closer and
firmer as time passes on, to our mutual benefit.
On the night of the 11th November, at about 4 a. m., a fire broke out in
4 the clerical office of His Majesty’s Con-
Firc at Hie Majesty^ Consulate. , , , 1 *. xj*
sulate. Fortunately it was prevented from
spreading and the Confidential office adjoining was saved, thus the damage was
far more limited than it might have been. It was impossible to ascribe any
cause for the fire beyond tliat a cigarette end may have been left smouldering,
though none of the Consulate staff smoke. Incendiarism, which was at first
suggested, has nothing to support it as a theory beyond that an attempt had
once previously been made to burn down the Oil Company’s house. In that
case however discharged boatmen were suspected while in the case of the
Consulate there was no suspicion against anyone. The re-organisati on of the
office has given considerable work.*
L. HAWORTH, Major,
1Its Britannic Majesty's Consul for Arobis tan.