Page 160 - The Persian Gulf Historical Summaries (1907-1953) Vol IV_Neat

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local qunm-horoditnry Clilefa who uro HUbjcctH o( tho
Slmh against endeavours by tliu Peraiiiu Uovornmont
to weaken their positions ami extend t he power of tho
Central Ciovernmont at. their exponso. Scislun is a ease
in point.
“At the same tiino (tur neglect or reluctance to do
this may be taken advantage of to the detriment of our
interests by our rivals, and it is clear that Colonel
Kemball thinks that some definite assurance of assist­
ance in certain contingencies should be given to tho
Sheikh of Mohummerali.
" I would propose to urge him to bo loynl to tho
Persian Ciovernmont, to come, with tho help and, if
necessary, mediation of His Majesty’s Vice-Consul, to an
arraugcmoiit with the Customs which would indemnify
him for tho loss of their administration by himself, and
t » trust to us to protect him against any attempt from
Tehran—in my opinion, a very improbable ono—to
diminish or cncrouch upon bis authority as Chief over
his people. If we give him uu nssuranco that we shall
so protect him, we ought to be prepared, in the unlikely
contingency of such an attempt aa I have suggested, to
send a gun-boat to Mohammorah and to let the Persians
know that wo ahull not aequieseu without good reason
to tho deposition of the Sheikh, or in interference hv tho
Governor-General of Arabistau in the internal affairs of
his tribe.
*• Your Lordship can, of course, judge better than I
to what extent the grant of such an assurance is in
accordance with the general policy of His Majesty's
Government in Southern Persia, and how far it would
be wise and safe to give it. It is clear that, the Sheikh is,
perhaps, unnecessarily anxious about his future, though
no doubt he is more or less trying to blufT us into
giving him pledges of support; hut I would venture to
submit that the time has come for us to decide how far
we are prepared to hack him up, should the Persian
Government, perhaps at Russian instigation, determine
to destroy his, so to speak, uutouomous position, and
what counsel Colonel Kcmlmll and I should give him
should he appeal to uh, os hn seems disposed to do, for
our advice.”

'Plic upshot of this correspoudenco was that Sir A. Uardiago,
Sir .V. Hardinge informed the Sheikh on the D^omW 1902.
7th December, 1902, uuder instructions from
Lord Lansdownc, that “ wo filiall protect
Molminnicrah against naval attack by a foreign
Power, whatever pretext for such action may bo
alleged, and also, so long as you remain faithful
to tho Shall and act in accordance with our
advice, shall continue to give you our good
offices and support.”
This assurance was really necessitated by the
urgency of arriving at a solution of the question,