تقارير إدارية من الخليج العربي ١٨٨٣/١٨٨٤ – ١٩٠٤/١٩٠٥ [و‎‎٢‎٤‎٥] (٦٠٢/٤٩٤)

n^SID^XCY AND MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCt FOR THE YEAR 1901-1902.
3
their assistance for the purpose of exacting redress from the Shaikh of Koweit
for his aggression on Nejd territory. Por three months he remained in the
vicinity of Koweit, which was kept in a state of constant excitement. Early
in January, apparently finding that he could expect no active support from the
Turks, he returned to his own country.
About the middle of January, an event of great importance occurred in the
capture by Abdul Aziz, the son of Abdul Rahman-bin-Feysal, of Eiadh, the
old Wahabi capital. Abdul Eahman is the brother of Abdullah-bin-Eeysal,
the last of the Wahabi Amirs, and it was he who headed the revolt of
the partisans of the A1 Saud dynasty against Muhammad Ibn Eashid, the Amir
of ^ejd, in 1891, which met with no success. Up to the present, the Amir of
Nejd has taken no active measures against Abdul Aziz, who has strengthened
his authority at Biadh and gained many supporters.
His Royal Highness the Salar-ed-Howleh was Governor-General of Arabistan, 6. Persian
Luristan, etc., throughout the year. The Azam-es-Sultaneh was Lieute- Arabistan *
nant- Governor of Arabistan from the middle of July to the end of the year.
With the exception of the districts controlled by the Shaikh of Mohammerah, the
country has been in a state of marked disorder.
His Royal Highness the Shoa-es-Sultaneh, second son of the Shah, was 7. Fars and
.appointed Governor-General of Fars, and arrived at Shiraz towards the end of Persian oast,
April. He soon fell out with the Kawam-ul-Mulk, from whom he demanded
a large sum of money, payment of which was refused by the K a warn,
who took sanctuary in a mosque, subsequently proceeding to Tehran with his
son, the Begler Begi, in response to a summons from the capital. The Shoa-
es-Sultaneh ruled Fars with a strong hand and kept good order in the country.
He does not, however, appear to have been popular.
In January the Kawam returned to Shiraz and intrigues appear to have
been soon set on foot against the Prince. Early in March, the state of affairs
was very disturbed : the Prince was summoned to Tehran and left about the
middle of March, the Kawam, who had also been summoned, following him a
few days later. A new Governor-General, Asaf-ed-Dowleh, has since been
appointed and is now on his way from Tehran to Shiraz.
No political event of particular interest occurred at Lingah during the year.
Lieutenant Hunt, the British Vice-Consul and Assistant Resident at Bunder
Abbas, was invalided and took leave to England early in the year. Major
Phillott, who was appointed to act as Consul at Kerman, in June, was placed in
charge of the Bunder Abbas Vice-Consulate. Captain E. H. S. Boxer was
appointed to the post in January.
Mr. Whitby Smith proceeded on leave on 16th April, returning to India on 8. Persian Baiu-
the 23rd December. During his absence, Mr. R. H. New officiated as Director, c lstan '
Persian Gulf Telegraphs, and was in Political Charge of the Makran Coast.
Affairs in Persian Baluchistan have been at times very unsettled during the
year,—Mir Mahmud Khan, brother of Abdi Khan, Chief of Dashtyari, having
given a great deal of trouble, threatening to attack Charbar and looting in its
vicinity. Hashem Khan remained as Governor at Bampur and appeared to be
quite unable to maintain order in the district.
Twelve slaves were given manumission certificates during the year. Four 9. Slave Trade.
Africans, who had taken refuge at Bassidore and were living there, were, at
their own request, sent back to Zanzibar.
During the year under review, four cases of piracy on British Indian sail- 10 ' Piracies,
ing craft occurred in the neighbourhood of the Shatt-el-Arab bar. The Shatt-el-
Arab itself is well patrolled by the Moez -es-Sultaneh, and the pirates, who
come from places on the river, watch the opportunity of vessels being^ becalmed
on the bar or waiting for the tide, to carry on their piratical operations. The
difficulty of dealing with these piracies is that the authority within the river ^ is
divided, one bank being Turkish territory and the other Persian, and each side
throwing the responsibility on the other.
The following ships of His Majesty's Navy have been in the Gulf at various n. Navy,
times during the year:—H. M. S. Ufavctthou, JPoTyiouBi Fox, PevscuSi Cossctchj
Pigeon, Lapwing, Redbreast, Assays, and Sphinx. t i t » i •
Of Foreign Navies, the Russian cruiser Varyag arrived at Bushire on
15th December. She left for Koweit on the 21st and, on her way down the
b a