'Volume I. MEMORANDA REGARDING PERSIA AND NORTH-WEST TRANS-FRONTIER. 1905.' [‎22r] (48/310)

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15. Monsieur Ileynssens, the Director-
General of Customs and Posts for the Caspian
Ports, has been transferred to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
to the gratification of the Russian Consulate at
Enzelli, as he was exceedingly troublesome to
the Russians, and was, moreover, de facto
Governor of that port. Sir Arthur Hardinge
says that he is a rough sort of person, but not,
so far as is known, specially anti-English.
16. Ispahan. —The attitude of the
Mullas is causing the Zil-es-Sultan consider
able anxiety. He has received orders from
the Shah to quiet them as much as possible,
with the result that the more he concedes to
them the more they want.
A certain Mirza Abdul Kassim, a man of
not much importance, but cruel and an
intriguer and, moreover, the originator of the
Babi prosecutions of 1903, has been allowed to
return to Ispahan. Not only has the Grand
Vizier allowed this, but, without taking the
Zil into consultation, the Shah has presented
the man with gifts and a Firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). , a proceed
ing which practically amounts to a premium
on the massacre of Babis.
Aga Nejefi and his brother Sheikh
Nurullah recently sent a peremptory demand
to the Zil for the expulsion of one Mirza
Nasrullah, said to be a Babi, who had returned
to the town. The Zil, in view of the Shah’s
orders for the pacification of the Mullas, has
been obliged to acquiesce.
17. It is reported that the Zil-es-Sultan
has received permission to visit Europe for
three months to recoup his health. It is
expected that the Jalal-ed-Dowleh will act for
him in his absence, an idea the Zil does not
favour, but ope which would be advisable, as
his younger brothers would almost certainly
create an unpleasant situation, the results of
which he would experience on his return.
18. Shiraz.—{Vide Memorandum for
February, paragraph 22.) The Shoa-es-Sultaneh
has been warned by His Majesty’s Consul at
Shiraz that, unless the illegal levy of Rahdari
is discontinued, a pecuniary claim will be
made on account of it. According to the
Mushir-ed-Dowleh satisfactory instructions
have been sent to Shiraz, but these have hitherto
been without effect.
Sir Arthur Hardinge on the 6th March
1905 warned the Mushir-ed-Dowleh that we
should claim compensation. He is of opinion
that we can, independently of this claim, re-open
the discussion of the question on the Reglement
Douanier, where its provisions are unsuitable to
local conditions, but he considers it unlikely
that His Majesty’s Government would
acquiesce in the levy of Rahdari in return for
any modifications which might be offered to us
in this respect.