ملف ٢٢٩٧/ ١٩١٩ "تقارير شهرية للمقيمية البريطانية في الخليج الفارسي. ١٩١٢-١٩٢٠." [ظ‎‎٤‎٠‎٠] (١٠٤٤/٨٠٥)

pass is very necessary for the safety of the road, but the Farman Farma has refused
his permission to the Chiefs to attack them : possibly this would cost the Govern
ment nothing and he requires an excuse for making expeditions in person.
178. Ibrahim Khan, elder brother of Baqir Khan, Chief of Kalawand, came in
on behalf of his brother and tribe during the first week of January. He renewed
the undertaking to keep the road safe and offered to place some of the women
and children of the tribe as hostages in Kermanshah if the tribe were put directly
under Kermanshah and separated from Luristan. The Farman Farma, however,
replied that as the Sardar Akram had made the arrangement for them to police the
road and as he had special relations with the Sardar Akram he could not remove
them from his jurisdiction but that he and the Government were well satisfied
with the Kakawand for taking service.
179. The Farman Farma published a telegram from the Ministers during the
second week of January announcing that the Salar-ed-Dauleh had submitted.
180. On 18th January at about 2 a.m., thieves entered the house of Monsieur
Moliter, Director of Customs, disarmed two sarbazes and shot a Customs watchman,
a native of the town, who knew them. The shots aroused the neighbours and the
Customs sowars who live near and the robbers then made off with two rifles. The
names of some of the robbers are known, but as they are the Ilkhani’s men, the
Farman Farma thinks it dangerous to arrest them, as such an action would cause
a fight in the town.
181. There is estimated to be only two months’supply of grain in the town.
There is a certain amount in the villages of Mian Derband to the north, but the
villagers cannot bring it in for fear of the Pairawand who rob it on the way. The
son ofHaji Hasan Kalantar has been appointed to see that no grain is stored: he
visits the houses of shopkeepers and others who have a small supply for their own
use and finding grain makes them ^ pay a fee. Grain taken out to the mills is
likewise liable to be diminished by the road-guards visiting the mills and taking toll.
It is of no use anyone complaining to the Governor-General who will not punish
anyone. Wheat is 23 tumans and barle} 7 20 per kharwar.
182. Hamadan .-—Two Gendarmes came to the room of the son of the Consular
Agent in a caravanserai demanding a Nauroz present for the Darugha. The Agent
was there and said he would give it if the representatives of the Russian Agency and
Turkish Consulate, who also had rooms there, did so: they then left, but on 12th
January two Gendarmes again came with the same request. The Agent told them
he had already replied and they then began to abuse him so that the merchants
came out of their rooms to see what the matter was. The servants wanted to beat
the Gendarmes but the Agent prevented this and went home and complained to
the Governor who sent and took the evidence of those present.
The Governor subsequently called on the Agent and asked him to forgive
the offence. The Agent, however, did not give a definite reply pending instructions
from His Majesty’s Consulate. He has since been instructed by His Majesty’s
Consul to insist on the guilty man being sent to the caravanserai where the insult
was given, to apologize.
Foreign interests 183. Count Avmarde Beaufort arrived from Hamadan on 21st January
and left on 28th for Baghdad and Suza, returning to Hamadan via Ispahan in May
to join the French Scientific delegation who propose excavating at Hamadan.
Condition of 184. The Director of Customs now attends the commission regularly. He
Roads, Telegraph has received orders to pay, from the Customs, military [and administrative
and Postal Service. ex p e nses and check the number of men paid.
185. The road to Baghdad is in an unsatisfactory state. Merchants state
that muleteers are afraid to use the road owing to the heavy fees exacted by the
road-guards amounting to 35 kran§ per mule and in addition theft of small
packages. Those who do take goods charge such high rates as to prevent any
profit being made by importers.