File 537/1921 Part 1 'Persia: Oil - Defence of A.P. Oil Co's fields etc' [‎162r] (319/324)

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PERSIA: AFFAIRS OF ARABISTAN.
Letter from Lieut.-Colonel Sir A. T. Wilson, K.C.I.E. C S T (' M ('
D.S.O., Officiating Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in’the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , to the
Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign and Political
Department, Simla.
No. W./9. ' ^ . .
n* iiusmre,
11 ’ t 4 - , • r i n t ^ 30th October 1920.
n con nniation of ir^ letter of 20th October, 1 have the honour to invite a
reference to Sir ± . Cox s Despatch of the 11th September 1917, No. 5310 regarding
the situation m Aiabistan, and to its enclosures, and to my memorandum on Political
and Tribal Developments m Arabistan from July 1917 to March 1918, which was
submitted to the Government of India on 15th March 1918.
2. As already explained to the Government of India by telegraph, I was anxious.
before proceeding on leave and before handing over charge of this 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 my
successor, to pay a personal visit of inspection to Arabistan in order to facilitate the
re-transfer to Bushire of the responsibility for the administration of Consular Offices
m this aiea, which since the outbreak of war Lave been under tlie supervision of
Mesopotamia.
3. Immediately after handing over charge of the Office of the Civil Commissioner
of Mesopotamia to Sir P. Cox on the forenoon of 5th October, I proceeded, together
with my Personal Assistant, Lieut. H. R. Lowis, Indian Army, by launch to
Monammerah, accompanied by the Shaikh of Mohammerah and his sons. From
Mohammerah, after meeting Mr. Greenwood, the Acting General Manager of the
Anglo-Persian Oil Company, I proceeded by car to Ahwaz, which was reached the
same evening. On 6th October, accompanied b} r His Majesty’s Vice-Consul, Ahwaz,.
I went to Shush, where I met His Majesty’s Vice-Consul at Dizful, Major Meade, who
accompanied me to Dizful. From Dizful I proceeded to Shushtar, whence Major
Meade returned to Dizful.
4. On 9th October I left Shushtar, and from that day until the 20th I was touring
in the low hills north of the Karim, reaching the oilfields on 20th October. Route
reports and other notes of military interest dealing with this area have already been
submitted to the Government of India with my letter of the 28th October.
5. I reached Ahwaz on the 21st and Mohammerah on the evening of the 22mR
where I took an official farewell of the Shaikh of Mohammerah. At Mohammerah I
received news of the outbreak of hostilities between the Shaikh ot: Koweit and Bin
Sand. I boarded the Ivy, which I met going downstream on my way to Basrah,
and after a brief conversation with the Senior Naval Officer who was on board, I
proceeded to Koweit and held a conference there on the 23rd with the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency.
and the Senior Naval Officer as to the steps necessary to maintain public confidence
and to discourage further hostilities. I returned by air to Basrah on 23rd October to
give effect, with the assistance of the military authorities, to the proposals of the
conference, which had meanwhile received the concurrence of the High Commis
sioner, and left Basrah again on the evening of the 24th for Koweit in the launch*
Industry. I left Koweit on the morning of the 26th in the Lawrence, which had gone
to Koweit in connection with the disturbances, proceeded to Abadan to take in oil,
made a detailed inspection of the refinery there, and received a further visit from ^t te
Shaikh of Mohammerah, who was much perturbed at the rumouis that hai readier
him regarding the state of affairs at Koweit. Bushire was reached on the morning o
the 28th,‘where Lieut.-Col. Trevor joined the ship on his way to Bombay via Bahrein,
Kishm, Bandar Abbas, Charbar and Muscat.
n 6. The subject-matter of this report may conveniently be considered under four
heads: —
(1) A brief retrospect of developments during the past thiee vears.
(2) Postal arrangements.
(3) Telegraph arrangements. . , , , • A
(4) The existing and proposed disposition of political and consu ai agencies an
officers, including hospitals and dispensaries.
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