‘Memorandum respecting the frontier between Mohammerah and Turkey.’ [‎33v] (66/82)

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Cbalderan with Byazud and \ an. I, however, believe it to extend from the top of
ittle Ararat in tlio direction I have marked it. The districts of Kotur and Chareh
may also be disputed, but I thought from the documents produced at the time as
well as their situation to the east of the great range which has evidentlv been
intended as the line of demarcation, they were decidedly Persian lands; they are
positions ol considerable importance, commanding two principal routes into Persia,,
to whom they are of more importance than to Turkey.
A lofty chain of mountains forms the boundary of the remaining part of Azerbaiian
and is well defined. The Turkish and Kurdish tribes within the Turkish frontier
have been m the habit of pasturing their cattle within the Persian limits, but only
on suiterance, for which they paid a sum of money or other valuable consideration.
las always been difficult to enforce this arrangement, to evade which, as well as to
resist excessive demands, has been the cause of constant disputes and bloodshed.
ns was Particularly the case regarding the right of pasture on the plain of Lahiian,
much frequented by the Bilbass tribe of Kurds, belonging to Ken Sanjak and subject
to the liabhei chiefs of Karachulan, the most powerful and warlike of all the Kurdish
btates.
For the last forty years they have been in constant revolt against Turkey, and
have more than once forced pashas on Bagdad; when pressed by a Turkish army
they have sought the protection of Persia, but always revolted when "the Turkish forces
had retired or a true submission been exacted.
1 ho boundary here can hardly be said to be defined, and I believe was vaguely
statec m the treaty as the respective limits of the Persian Kurdish State of Senna
rdelan and Shaherazur or Karachulan. Both chiefs enjoy sovereign power within
t len own limits, supplying troops in case of war, when thev likewise furnish some
money and provisions but more as a free gift than a tax. Every new chief must be
confirmed either by the Courts of Tehran or Constantinople. In Persia formerly the
chiefs of Luristan and 1 ersian Arabia (Hawiza) had under the same title of vali their
own princes, but were abolished by Nadir Shah, on account of their constant revolts,
le tieachery of the Vali of Arabia was the principal cause of the defeat of the
eisian army by the Afghans and the fall of the Suffavean dynasty (1722). They
lollowed the same course with Nadir Shah, but not with like impunity.
Between Kermanshah, which now includes the province of Lusiana or Luristan,
tic mountains were to form the boundary, which is an imaginary line running through
uncultivated or desert lands to the village of Banilla, on the Jerrah or Hawiza River,
unmarked by any defined or known object. From this Persia wishes to establish a
c aim to the entire possession of the Chaab Sheikh's lands, which extend to within
b miles of Bussorah consequently including the important position of Mohammerah, at
the junction of the Hafar Canal with the Shatt-el-Arab, and commanding the navigation
rp . ia ^ t P ers i ai i Gulf of all the rivers of Mesopotamia and Lusiana, including
the Jigns, Euphrates, and Karun.
Sir J. McDonald (then Lieutenant McDonald) and myself were directed by Sir J.
i a conn, then Minister in I ersia, to examine the country from Bushire to Dorak and
ussorah, then ascend the Karun to Shuster, Dizful, and the ancient Susa, returning
direct through the mountains to Shiraz. We then considered the frontier as runnino-
as i have marked it, from the before-mentioned village of Banilla to the point where
the Ilafar comes out of the Karun including one or both of the great islands formed
by the channels of the Shatt-el-Arab and the Karun.
Ihe fiist time I heard the claim to Afohammerah advanced was in 182J in
consequence, I believe, of the French officers serving with Mohammed Ali Mirza
having pomted out the great importance of the position and the advantage Persia
would derive troin commanding the exit of so great a river navigation.
it is said Kenm Khan, when obliged to relinquish Bussorah, made some efforts to
retain Mohammerah.
officer or trader has, I believe, traversed Persian Arabia, or gone
direct from Bussorah by Hawiza to Kermanshah. The French officers who served
with the 1 ersian army were employed on several expeditions in this direction, and it
is said made surveys of this hitherto unknown region ; should that be the case, they
wi pro oably exist m the Depot des Cartes in France. The officers in question were
geneia } in the ha bit of keeping routes of all their marches in Persia, and will probably
be round either in Pans or Constantinople.