'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for the Years 1915-1919' [‎92r] (190/396)

FOR THE YEAR 1917. H
CHAPTER III.
administration eeport for the bandar abbas vice-
consulate eor the year 1917.
Mr. W. R. Howson held charge of the Vice-Consulate throughout the
Vice-Cousuiate. J®™- He was o iven the personal rank of
Consul in March 1917.
Mirza Muhammad Ali Khan, Sadid-es-Sultaaeh, continued as Rusp.ian
Foreign Representatives. Consular AgBUt during the whole of the
year.
Sartip Mirza Ali Karam Khan, Shuja-i-Nizam, held the post of Deputy
Locni Government. Governor throughout the year. He worked
loyally and indefatigably in British in
terests. Not only has he co-operated with the Political Authorities to the best
of his ability ; but the South Persia Rifles and Military Authorities owe him
a deep debt of gratitude for all the assistance he has rendered them, particularly
in the matter of arranging transport for conveying troops, equipment and
foodstuffs from the Base to the Interior. If it had not been for his great efforts
to collect transport there is no doubt the work of the South Persia Rifles in
the interior would have been greatly hampered.
Agha Nad Ali Khan held the post of Deputy Governor, Minab, up to the
13th June when he was relieved by Mirza Kohandil Khan. The latter, on
appointment to the Deputy Governorship of Lingah, was relieved by Yawar
Haji Khan, Mashshaq, on the 13th September.
The Shuja-i-Nizam performed the duties of Karguzar at Bandar Abbas
during the year.
Monsieur Guillaume held the post of Director of Customs throughout the
Cug| . oma year. On the whole relations between him
and the Consulate were good particularly
towards the latter part of the year when they could not have been better.
M. Guillaume made strenuous efforts to obtain the reinstatement of his protege,
Abdul Khaliq, as Hammal Bashi (an Agent employed by the merchants to
handle their cargo in the Customs House). His Majesty's Consul, who had
the previous year objected to Abdul Khaliq, withdrew his objection and
co-operated with M. Guillaume for his reinstatement; but the merchants, both
Persian and Indian, united to oppose the measure and M. Guillaume abandoned
Ms intention and himself proposed to retain the services of the present incum
bent, Since then everything has gone smoothly and, at the end of the year,
relations between the merchants and Customs were excellent.
Several raids were perpetrated by Arabs of the Pars District during the
„ t ysar under report, the three most daring
Condition of country. t. ., A .. J , . „ , 0
being those committed m December.
On the 5th December a party of ten horsemen and 30 footmen raided to
within 13 miles of Bandar Abbas and carried off several hundred camels and
donkeys which had been collected by the Deputy Governor for the South
Persia Rifles. Some ten camels belonging to the 10th Camel Corps, which
were grazing in the vicinity were also taken. An unsuccessful attempt to
intercept the raiders was made by the South Persia Rifles and the Deputy
Governor.
About the 20th December a party of Engineer Officers, insufficiently
escorted, rode right into a large number of Arab raiders at Ab Mar 73 miles
from Bandar Abbas near the Tang-i-Zagh. Major Lowis had his horse shot
under him but the party made good its escape without any further casualty.
The same night the raiders followed the Engineer Party up and attacked their
camp but were driven off. The raiders were said to have had three of their
number killed or severely wounded.
The third raid occurred on the 28th December when a large band of
raiders attacked a large South Persia Rifles caravan at Sarzeh (39 miles