'Administration Reports 1920-1924' [‎128v] (261/412)

8
ANNUAL EEPOET OF THE
The Military were given another opportunity of encroaching on tribal ground
by the unfortunate debacle at the Anglo-Persian Oil Company's work at Mishum
account of which will be given later). The departure of the tribal guards
and the forced closing down of the Company's drilling operations till arrange
ments could be made for their security gave the Persian Government a chance
they were eager to take of ousting the tribesmen who had been formerly respon
sible to the Company, and handing over the duty of safeguarding the work to
military detachment of some ten men, and Non-Commissioned Officer and an
officer. So far the arrangement has worked satirfactorily.
SECTION 6.
T he P olitical S ituation.
The temporary increase of anti-British feeling which had followed the War
Minister's visit to Bushire in December and which had been occasioned by his
proclamation regarding the presence 'of British troops and his imprisonment
of Allah Karam Khan, did not long survive the unconditional release of the
latter towards the end of January. Attempts were made to fan the flame by
posting up placards purporting to have been written by Allah Karam intimat
ing that the British had intended to occupy Bushire if Allah Karam had been
harmed in any way ; but the placards were removed by the Military and publicly
disowned by Allah Karam himself, and the excitement over the whole incident
soon fizzled out. So when the body of the " martyred " Shaikh Hussain of
Chakutah who had been killed in a fight with the South Persia Rifles was
brought into Sabzabad for internment in a Man solemn specially built for its re
ception, the attempts of Shaikh Mohammed, his son, to turn the ceremony into an
anti-British demonstration were entirely fruitless. Nor did Zair Khidhar of
Tangistan's death cause any recrudescence of animosity in Bushire, though the
Shiraz press was particularly venomous on that occasion. Indeed the studied
aloofnes of the British in Bushire frOm local politics gave no opportunity for
opposition though possibly it aroused curiosity. Certainly this was the' pre
vailing feeling when Haider Khan, C LE., of Hayat Baud came to Bushire in
mid-summer ostensibly to make his peace with the local representatives of the
Persian Government. The persistent attempts made -by the Persian Govern
ment last year (and narrated in last year's report) to coerce Haider into agree
ing to a re-assessment of his revenue and to giving formal guarantees of loyalty
and submission to their authority were not abandoned. As no issue seemed
likely to be reached by the protracted negotiations between Haider Khan and
the local Finance authority, the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. felt it necessary to report the
whole matter to the Minister at Tehran and ask that a definite settlement be
definitely reached by the Central Government one way or another as soon as
possible. Meanwhile ftie Prime Minister and War Minister had given our
Minister a definite assurance that no action would be taken against Haider Khan
without our being informed beforehand. In spite of these orders the Finance
Controller one day, apparently on his own responsibility, sent an Inspector over
to Kharag with four 1 Cossacks ' as a personal escort, with the object of assess
ing the revenue coming in from the pearl fishery of Kharag which was then going
on. Haider Khan who had been prepared for such a contingency had collected
an armed force on Kharag and prevented the landing of the party who returned
discomfited to Bushire. This unfortunate incident, occasioned though it was by
the rash action of the Finance Controller, could not be overlooked. It was
perhaps inevitable that the War Minister should regard it as a deliberate insult
to his army. In dny case he immediately ordered that if Haider Khan did not
at once give the guarantees demanded of him a military expedition should be
sent to subdue him. The consequences of such action would have been deplorable
for every reason, and when the Governor His Excellency Nasr-ed-Dowleh (who
had just arrived) proposed that Haider Khan should come to Bushire and pay his
respects to him, thus giving clear proof of his loyalty, the idea was supported by
the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. who urged Haider Khan in his own interests to come in
and endeavour to establish relations with the local Government. After receiving
guarantees of personal safety from the Governor, Haider Khan eventually came
in, spent a week in Bushire where he was hospitably entertained and treated
with much courtesy by the Governor, and departed after giving a " guarantee of
loyalty ", apparently satisfied with the results of his visit, politically, although
it was not found possible to effect a settlement of the claims of the Finance Depart
ment ; and the vexed question of whether Haider Khan or the Persian Govern
ment is entitled to the pearl revenues was not even touched upon. In the inter
views he ha d with the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. the latter made it quite clear to Haider