'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for the Years 1915-1919' [‎14r] (34/396)

FOR THE TEAR 1915,
tract of country lying north, of Khamir on tlio mainland opposite to the Island
of Kishm. It belongs to the province of Pars and the inhabitants are noted
for their lawlessness. They have taken advantage of their comparative
inaccessibility and the disorder prevailing in the south of Persia to carry their
depredations further afield. It should be an easy^ matter for His Excellency
the Qawam-ul-Mulk, once order is restored in his province, to punish these
unruly people.
The notorious Baharlu tribe raided the Bandar Abbas district in August
and again in December and carried off large numbers of donkeys, camels, and
merchandise. The Deputy Governor, with his meagre resources of men and
material, was not able to do much against the raiders, the majority of whom
were mounted, but he succeeded in recovering a considerable portion of the
loot and killing four of the raiders.
Towards the end of August the Baharlu raiders attacked a caravan pro
ceeding from Bandar Abbas to Yazd belonging to Persian merchants. They
carried off over 500 camels and 420 loads _ of merchandise^ His Excellency
the Qawam-ul-Mulk succeeded in recovering 340 camels with their loads and
restored them to their owners.
With the re-introduction of the subsidiary Mail service trade revived
to a considerable extent and the Trade
Trade ' Routes were fairly busy. Pear of Baharlu
and Baluch raiders was responsible for the temporary closing of the routes on
two or three occasions during the year.
The Anglo-Persian Oil Company stopped their boring operations after the
attack on their camp in June and no
British Interests. attempt was made to reopen work
before the close of the year. The members of the staff, with the exception of
the doctor, left for Basrah early in July.
No vessels of Poreign Steamship Lines called at the Port during the
year.
Foreign Interests. •
Assistant Surgeon H. C. Berlie, I.S.M.D., continued to hold the post of
Quarantine Medical Officer throughout
Quarantine. the year. The Charitable Dispensary
continued to be well attended.
Two plague patients were landed from the Mail steamer " Barpeta " from
Bahrain, on the Mth March. Both cases ended fatally.
On the 12th April the Bombay-Persian Steam Navigation Com
pany's S. S. " Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. " arrived from Bombay plague infected. One lascar A term used by the British officials to describe non-European sailors employed on East India Company ships. had
been buried at sea and two other members of the crew were landed suffering
from plague and afterwards died. Two passengers from the same ship
developed plague symptoms after landing but both recovered.
Mr. "Wilson, of the Indo-European Telegraph Department, carried out a
survey for a land telegraph line from
Miscellaneous. Bandar Abbas to Lingah in April.
Sir Mark Sykes, M.P., who was a passenger on board S. S. " Chakdara"
en route to Basrah visited the Vice-Consulate on the 11th September.
W. E. HOWSON,
Assistant Resident and Sis Britannic Majesty's
Vice-Consul, Bandar Abbas.