Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎129v] (263/1028)

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dead. These were formerly held for 1 ^ days in mosques but are now to be
held for 2 hours only with the mourners sitting on sofas instead of squatting
on the floor.
The Council had not by the end of the year under review taken any
steps to enforce this reform which, in the eyes of the general public consti
tuted an unwarranted interference with a long standing sacred custom.
The Council continued receiving its monthly budget of Rials 20,000
though very irregularly.
SECTION 4.
Military and Marine.
r Army .—In May Brigadier General Ibrahim Zand, the Officer Com
manding the Ears Division, visited Bushire on inspection.
The Recruiting Officer reopened with its usual members, namely the
Governor as President, the Assistant Governor as the President of the
Municipality, a local priest, two local merchants, a military doctor, and a
local one. Its branches also reopened in the district. The names of youths
who had attained military age were announced, the exemption papers of
others were examined, and some 300 youths were sent from Bushire to
Khorramshahr to join the Iranian Navy. Fifty of these, however, were
sent back as unfit for service there.
In April the Military Authorities sent a local contractor and two
masons to construct a Military Barracks at Jask on the site of the old
British military buildings there. In November they began reducing the
strength of the Bushire Garrison from 1800 to 600 and by the end of the
year they had completed the work and placed the Garrison under the
command of a Major named Qotbi. ‘
disarmament of Tribes .—The Military Authorities continued with
severity to disarm the tribes and peasantry in Dashti, Dashtistan and
Tangistan. Unless arms were produced when demanded flogging and
heavy fines were inflicted on persons suspected to be in possession of them.
As a result of these methods two deputations of Tangistanis and Dashtis
came into Bushire and complained against the Military Authorities and
their methods in collecting arms. It was, however, heard from time to time
that Tangistanis or Dashtis imported small consignments of arms and
ammunitions for themselves or their clients in other districts. Throughout
the year some 160 rifles and a small quantity of ammunition were collected
and delivered to the Military Authorities in Bushire.
Navy. —Lieut.-Colonel Ghulam Ali Bayandor (not Ghulam Hussain
Bayandor as mentioned in last year’s Administration Report) continued in
command of the Iranian Navy throughout the year.
In January the sloops “Babr” and “Palang” went to Bombay for dry
docking and returned in March.
In May the “Palang” visited Hen jam and Basidu and established a
small Naval post at each of these ports. Each post consists of 12 men
under a petty officer.
Continuing their efforts to check the smuggling of contraband goods
the undermentioned ships of the Iranian Navy seized the following
Sloop “Palang ”—1 dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. and some pieces of cotton cloth, Rials
20,000 and Rs. 300 in coin.
Gun-boats “Chahrokh” and “Shahbaz”—7 dhows, 605 packages
piece goods 10 boxes tea, 20 bags suggar and Rials 170,000
in coin.