File 3516/1914 Pt 9 'German War: Persia' [‎81v] (167/618)

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service, and that he hoped that he could count on our good offices in case he
should need them in the future.
In 1909, after the revolution of Saiyid Murteza Ahrami against the
Persian Government and the seizure of Bushire by the Tangistam tribesmen,
which rendered necessary the landing of a considerable naval force from
H.M.S. “Pox”, Haidar Khan rendered great service to all at Bushire by
sending a force of 400 riflemen to guard the island for a month.
At the end of 1909, and again in 1910 and 1911, Haidar Khan and his
relatives and the districts under their rule were visited by His Majesty s Vice-
Consul. Most cordial relations ensued; many small matters were settled with
the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. to mutual satisfaction : and constant and intimate corre
spondence has been maintained from then onwards.
Haidar Khan early made it clear that he despaired of the Persian Govern
ment being able to restore order in Southern Persia, and to support those few
Chiefs like himself who kept their districts in hand, and therefore, being the
ruler of purely maritime districts himself, he looked to the British Govern
ment authorities, as those most interested, to give him their support in all his
difficulties with the Central Government and Bakhtiari greed, and to treat him
as they treated the Shaikh of Mohammerah. On his part he showed himself
prepared to meet our wishes in every respect, and to consult us regarding all
his actions.
In 1910 and 1911 he did all he could to give British merchants a pre
ference in the purchase of grain in his district as against the Germans, and
this assistance was very valuable.
In 1913 and 1914 he invoked British assistance for the protection of his
district of Lirawi against Bakhtiari rapacity : and both the Resident and His
Majesty’s Legation recognising the importance of the issue gave him their
utmost and effective help.
In 1913 Haidar Khan again co-operated in the British operations against
the Tangistan coast by allowing the island of Kharg, which is his fief, to be
used for beaching captured Tangistani dhows, and by giving hospitality and
assistance to the British troops sent there. Por this, by their No. 2762 E.-A
of December 16th, 1913, he was informed of the appreciation of the Govern
ment of India.
On the outbreak of the European war in 1914 he hastened to express his
hopes for British victory, in the face of general pro-German sentiment in
Persia, and he has continued to promote the British cause, and circulate British
news in his districts. He has in fact from the first been considered by
Southern Persia as the strongest British partisan after Shaikh Sir Khazal Khan
of Mohammerah.
On March 4th 1915 Sir Percy Cox telegraphed from Basrah to Haidar
Khan asking him to arrest Wassmuss and his German companion, assuring
him that “ our appreciation would be even greater than for the capture of the
Humaidi pirates ”, that Haidar Khan need fear nothing from the Persian
Government as a result, and accepting personal responsibility for the arrest.
Haidar Khan complied without the slightest hesitation, and, though through no
fault of his Wassmuss subsequently escaped, important documents revealing
German plans fell into our hands.
Although universally blamed and violently abused outside his own districts
for his action, and in considerable danger of attack from the pro-German
Khans, Haidar Khan as can be seen from the translation of more than
30 letters which he has written to the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. since, he has only striven the
harder to support British interests. He gives us sound advice, and has
negotiated and is negotiating with neighbouring Khans, thus making a solid
pro-British faction which we hope will keep the hostile Khans in check.
When asked by Sir Percy Cox to send a force from Lirawi to the assistance of
the Shaikh of Mohammerah’s representative in Southern Arabistan, he at once
got a force ready, though it was then too late.