'File 14/115 VII Annex (B 9) Abu Musa oxide: collected background material on the case' [‎160r] (330/1904)

73
Annex 42.
Note on the history and character of Mirza "
Vzce-ConsukOe at Bushire" referred
the (re r man; >>6 f not an dum, and in item
The Dragoman in question is the man referred to in the report submitted
♦No. 36 to His Majesty 's Minister, Teheran, me OU 27th June* 1909 in Connection with
S 0 '?^ 0 o His ^ st ' y ' s ForeigD 0ffica - the disturbances at Bushire of the spring of
f r Governruent of India. 1900, when troops hM to be iandek fiom
His Majesty s ships for the protection of foreigners.
';h re ^ erexice to re P ort ^ rom which point rny present note takes up ths
At that time (the summer of 1909) I considered that I had a good deal to com
plain of in the attitude towards me of the Acting German Consul Herr Wassmuss.
and m this view Sir George Barclay fully concurred on seeing papers which I
showed him personally in Teheran ; I attributed this mainly to the fact that Hera
Wassmuss, as a new comer with no knowledge of the country or language, wai
necessarily in the hands of his Dragoman.
Both he, howeyer 5 and Dr, Listemann, the permanent incumbent, placed im
plicit reliance on the man and neither would hear a word against him. This of course
was not unnatural.
/As will be seen from what follows the man has since been entirely exposed, dis
credited and summarily dismissed.
On the termination of the disturbances and the expulsion of Saiyid Murteza
Mirza Husein gave up his leisure to local politics and by Judicious bribery
among the community" of harbour boatmen (his father was a local Nakhoda) got
himself elected a member of the Bushire Anjuman. Later on, in January 1910, he
was able to contrive his selection and that of his ally Mirza Ali Kazeruni (see my
report of June 1909) as candidates for two of the seats in the Teheran Majlis allot
ted to the Gulf Ports. The Governor, however, intervened on the ground that
the election was not a bona- fide one and their deputation never took shape.
Meanwhile Mirza Husein's operations in arms dealings in association with Haji
Muhammacf Hassan, the local broker Often a local commercial agent in the Gulf who regularly performed duties of intelligence gathering and political representation. of Messrs. Wonckhaus, proceeded as usual
but some of the captures of arms by His Majesty's ships were reported to have in
volved the pair in heavy losses and put them in some financial difficulty. In
March 1910, owing to the stagnation trade in Bushire and other causes, Messrs.
Wonckhaus withdrew their European agent for a time and left the broker Often a local commercial agent in the Gulf who regularly performed duties of intelligence gathering and political representation. Haj!
Muhammad Hassan in charge. The jealousy evinced by Mirza Husein at not,
being given the agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. himself, resulted in a split between him and Haji Muham
mad Hassan which led to a good deal of mutual recrimination and consequent
exposure of their shady business affairs. In September 1910 a sum of £1,700
oddiwhich Messrs. Wonckhaus had despatched, through the medium of Haji Muham
mad Hassan, to the neighbouring coast by sailing boat for the purchase of grain
for export, was lost. The money disappeared in transit and suspicion, fostered by
Mirza Husein, fell on Haji Muhammad. The latter eventually absconded to
Tangistan, and Mirza Husein was appointed in his place as Wonckhaus' agent.
The firm, however, soon came to the conclusion that Mirza Husein was implicated,
and Muhammad Hassan more sinned against than sinning, and induced the latter
to return from Tangistan. A short time afterwards they preferred a claim on his
behalf against Mirza Husein for misappropriating in the broker Often a local commercial agent in the Gulf who regularly performed duties of intelligence gathering and political representation. 's absence a cargo
of arms which the latter had ordered out. These arms Mirza Husein is said to have
sold to various dealers, of whom one Abdul Karim bought and secreted 10. These
arms having been traced and seized, the Director of Customs having obtained proof
of their import by Mirza Husein, took up the case against him with the Governor
and the German Consulate. At the same time the German firm convinced theic
Consul of Mirza Husein's dishonest behaviour in connection with the disappear
ance of the £1,700 and the defalcations of Haji Muhammad Hassan, with th»