File 1421/1908 Pt 2 'Persia: oil; Ahwaz oil guard' [‎182r] (367/482)

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Govern™**"*}
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PERSIA.
CONEIDENTIAL.
[38666]
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[November 25.]
Section 21.
No. 1.
Mr. Marling to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received November 25 )
(No. 235a.) f-(3fUi(«j\
Sir > tm ,• ;• „ , , , , T „ , 25, 1907.
IN continuation of my despatch No. 209 of the 13th ultimo, I have the honour
to transmit herewith copy of a despatch from His Majesty’s Vice-Consul for Arabistan
containing certain recommendations for the provision of guards to protect the’
employes of the Oil Syndicate. r
I have, &c.
(Signed) CHARLES M. MARLING.
Inclosure iu No. 1.
Vice-Consul Lorimer to Sir C. Spring-Rice.
(No. 76. Confidential.)
® ir > Ispahan, September 14, 1907.
I HAVE the honour to refer to your telegram of the 13th instant and to my
telegram No. 39 of the same date, in the latter of which I am not sure that I made
myself quite clear.
2. With the principle of supplying what might be described as hody-guards for
the British subjects at the scenes of the Syndicate’s works I am in thorough accord.
It may annoy the Khans, but it will frighten them, and have a good moral effect in
general in demonstrating that we are in earnest, and prepared to take practical
measures to secure the safety of our subjects.
3. The difficulties are that my present guards’ time expires in October, and their
relief has been announced for the latter half of NovemberThe relief can only take
place at Ahwaz, and it would be unwise to formally initiate the scheme of resident
guard’s at Batwand and elsewhere, when it would almost immediately be necessary to
withdraw them for several weeks. Also any arrangement which would tend to delay
the departure of the outgoing guard might lead to some trouble with them.
Horses cannot be obtained in Arabistan, but unmounted men would always be of
use for the purposes of the scheme.
4. These, however, are comparatively trifles; the important point is that, in my
opinion, it would be quite impossible to locate Indian sowars at the Qilwmrks without
a suitable British officer in charge of them. The position might be delicate, and a
certain degree of judgment and tact would be necessary. Eurther, the sowars them
selves would probably get out of hand, having no one of authority or experience
over them; and again, if there were no one to attend to them on the spot, the
sowars’ affairs, accounts, &c., would get into hopeless confusion.
These considerations would apply with augmented force to the relieving guards,
whose character is an unknown quantity, and whose ignorance of the language,
country, and people would constitute an additional danger.
It would be quite impossible for me to stay permanently at Batwand, and therefore,
if the experiment is to be made, I think a special British officer should be provided.
He could be called a Consular Assistant, and he would gain an experience of Bakhtiari
affairs which would bridge the hiatus that under present circumstances seems likely to
occur when I go on leave. In case the question of the selection of an officer should
arise, the qualities which should be specially sought for are a sound judgment and an
even temper.
5. On the Batwand side the Syndicate have, I think, three camps scattered along
a line of 16 miles, and it would probably be necessary to provide detachments for
each. The scene of operations on the Mamatain side is comparatively concentrated.
[2717 66 — 21 ]