File 2297/1919 ‘Persian Gulf Residency Monthly Reports. 1912-20.’ [‎206r] (416/1044)

Shiraz Boad.
9. Security on this road appears to be very doubtful.
Mohammareh.
10. Two wives of Shaikh Sir Khazal Khan died during the week one being the
mother of Shaikh Chasib and the other widow of late Shaikh Miz’al.
11. Another European, an employe of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, died
during the week owing to the heat.
AhwaZ.
12. The Ahwaz well has now reached a depth of 3,000 feet without result.
It is not proposed to carry on for more than another 200 feet. Striking oil in the
vicinity of Ahwaz has such an importance, that the Company are sending out
a geologist to examine the ridge on the other side of the Karun up to the Kharkah,
with a view to selecting another site for a trial bore.
On the evening of 9th His Britannic Majesty’s Vice-Consul proceeded to
camp on the right bank of the Karun opposite Kut Saiyid Enayeh to look after
military transport sent out to bring in forage and also to arrange for the first pig
sticking meet of the newly formed Ahwaz Tent Club. The Bawi Shaikhs, Qasim Ali
and Musallam, were anxious to be our hosts and had undertaken to do the beating.
They were present in camp in the evening.
The attitude of the Arabs was throughout most friendly and tbe two Chiefs
Qassim Ali and Musallam who had greeted the idea enthusiastically, were most
anxious that the meet should be a success.
13. On the 6th of August the drillers of the White Oil Springs handed in their
resignations on the grounds of the general insecurity. Unfortunately the Kishm
stall had been allowed to return with the result that all the Company’s employes
who have come in contact with them have been thoroughly disturbed by the hair
raising accounts of the attack on Kishm. On the 8th of August, Mr. Gillespie,
Dr. Young and His Majesty’s Vice-Consul motored to the White Oil Springs with
a view to reassuring the staff there and inducing them to withdraw their resigna
tions. In the end, the drillers were reluctantly persuaded to stick it out for
another month in the hopes that things would get better.
14. On the 23rd July, the General Officer Commanding visited Naseri and
Ahwaz with a view to selecting a camp for the cavalry brigade, whom it is
contemplated moving to the left bank. A position above the Anglo-Persian Oil
Company workshops was decided on.
15. On the 27th July Shaikh Handzall received the long promised khilaat
from the Shaikh of Mohammareh. The permanency of his position here is now
more or less recognised. He is, however, still being starved financially and has
been reduced to borrowing money in the bazar to appease the more insistent
clamourings of his ghulams.
16. The long anticipated Kuh-Ghilu raids have failed to materialise and
forwardings are proceeding briskly now that confidence has been restored. Inter
ested parties at Bushire and Shiraz have been assiduously spreading rumours that
the road is unsafe.
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17. On the 7th August, His Majesty’s Vice-Consul visited the villages on the
left bank of the Karun as far as Kut Saiyid Enayeh. A steady stream of war news
from German sources is circulat ng in the district.
It was surprising to hear that the submarine warfare had resulted in communi
cation with London being cut off, that the fall of Warsaw meant Petrograd and
Moscow were exposed: that the English had withdrawn from the impossible
Gallipoli venture.
Arrangements are being made to satisfy the undoubted demand which exists
for news of a more popular character than that contained in Beuters.