'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎44r] (92/386)

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Iii October 1904 Ibn Sand, having received no encouragement from the
British Government and being alarmed by a fresh concentration of Turkish
troops at Kufah on the Euphrates, opened negotiations with the \V ah oi Basrah
and professed a desire to submit. His overtures ivere favourably received, ana
in February 1905' he proceeded, accompanied by the Sheikh of Koweit, to meet
the Wali of Basrah on the Turkish frontier near Safvvan : at this interview it
appears to have been arranged that Ibn Saud should retain his dominions
proper in the capacity of a Turkish Governor, that Ibn Rashid should similar y
remain in possession of Northern Nejd and be restrained from interference s
the south, and that the Turks should pacifically occupy the district of Kasim
or Middle Nejd between the two rival states. Meanwhile, in January 19Uo>
the second Turkish expedition, consisting of about 2,000 infantry with guns,
had marched from Kufah, and a month or two later it effected a junction in
Central Arabia with a smaller force from Medina.. The programme arranged
with Ibn Saud was then carried into effect: Buraida and Anaiza, the principal
towns of Kasim, were occupied on the 15th and 18th. of April respectively
by Turkish military garrisons, and the district was organised in. admmis ra i
divisions on the usual Turkish system.
Events in Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. during the septennium with which we are
concerned were mostly internal and did not
Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. . directly affect British interests. Sadun
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the Muntefik chief who joined the Sheikh of Koweit in bis invasion of
Central Arabia, was a cause of constant trouble to ,h ®
between 1900 and 1903, but in the latter year be was with difficulty expelled from
Turkish territory, and he was ultimately reduced to suemg for a pardou n c ■
nection with Muntefik affairs it k interesting to observe that m 18JJ a brother
of Sadun Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. attempted to obtain British protection for himself and that Ins
example was followed in 1902 by other members of the tribe; on then request
being refused the petitioners appear to have made a similar application to the
Russian consular authorities which was equally unsuccessful.^
In 1903 the Mujtahids or Shiah doctors of Kerbela and Nejcf, who, though
residing in Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. , exercise a religious, ascendancy over all classes m
Persia, came into prominence in connection with the anti-Customs n
Babi riots which took place in the north and centre of Persia m that yoar.
There are grounds for believing that these disturbances were instigated by the
Muitahids fox the purpose of compelling the Shah to attend to t^ eir r m '
Sees on the subject of bis geriral pffiicy. In 190k ttie BersiUn Government
astutely denounced the Mujtahids to the Forte as supporters of Brrtisb pohoy
in the Turkish dominions, and the Ataba, as the Mujtabids are called in their
oollective capacity, were forthwith threatened with ^portatwut^ Med a.
This menace obliged them to withdraw an edict which they nad 'ssueh p
hibitin" the use by Shiah pilgrims during the continuance of hostilities
Centel liahia Of 'the Hail Lute to Mecca, -a
heine- construed as an attempt to favour the Sheikh of Kowat at tae expense
of the Amir of Jabal Ihamilai-, and in 1905, when fr^ umuUuary risings
took place in Fei-sia, their influence was found arrayed on the ^ M ^
Persian Government. The Ataba are connected with the Bntisli Gov
by a valuable Indian endowment, known as the Oudh ," p h ^ nct'-
ministered bv the Government of India for their benefit, but at the commence
ment oTthe period w°ith which we have to do the arrangements or he dis-
tvihntion of the monev had fallen into confusion. A reform ol these aiian^e
ments was begun in 1902. It was a delicate operation and occupied more
than a Lear hut the final result was highly satisfactory, and Major Newmarch,
BmBrScotul-Gcncral at Baghdad/received the aUoas of the
Goverument of India on the efficient manner in which lie had earned o> t
task. The qualifications which constitute a Mujtahid were for ^ ^“me
defined ; the names and relative importance of the genmne Mujtal i s
Kerbela and Nejef were ascertained and placed on record; the number of
recipients was restricted with the effect, of
simple plan of nomination to vacancies
rendering the allowances valuable ;
devised by which the British
, simple plan of nomination to vacancies was clevisea ny ^ "
i.. s ident consulted, but was not bound by, the wishes 0 ^® n ^ a U t t ?' U iJS
upon the salaried list; last but not least, a number of Mujtahids, mcluaing