File 537/1921 Part 2 'Persia: Oil - A.P.O. Co's development of new oil-fields; Oil Boring at Dasht-i-Qil; A.P.O. Co's agreement with Kashkuli Khans' [‎205r] (81/254)

(3) The recognition of the rights of the Kashkuli to make such an agreement
won d create a dangerous precedent and was inconsistent with the
maintenance of the position of Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. , other tribes such as the
Darreh bhun whose winter quarters adjoin Bikarz and Mishun
r would follow their example and if the Company wished for example
to work at Haft/ Dasht, north of Bikarz (in which area it is under
stood that Mr. Wyllie considers oil prospects favourable) they would
have to make a fresh agreement on similar lines with the Kashkuli
and so on indefinitely.
(4) The effect of the agreement had already been to weaken the authority
of the Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. over the Kashkuli; they had looted 2,500 sheep from
the Shaikh of Mohammerah’s subject in Zaidan, and Jahangir
Khan and Isfendiar Khan Kashkuli had robbed a Government
. postal courier near Shiraz at Sinehsafid; any action on his part to
punish those responsible and to recover the looted property would
be inevitably regarded as inspired by resentment against the tribe
for having made an agreement with the Company.
(5) The Kashkuli tribe had in point of fact no responsible leader or leaders ;
the younger chiefs were guided by the advice of their mothers or
by irresponsible and interested advisers ; there was no one amongst
them whom the Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. or the Company could make responsible ;
the post of Kalantar was for practical purposes in abeyance.
(6) The title of the Kashkuli tribe to the lands in question being shown to
be invalid, and the ability of the Khans to give effect to the agree
ment being demonstrably defective, the Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. claimed that it
should be cancelled k and replaced by a fresh agreement with him
only.
2. The reply of the Resident Director to the above arguments may be briefly
summarized as follows : —
(1) During 1919 and 1920 the Company had sent geologists and surveyors
to the lands in question : the Kashkuli Khans had been requested
with the knowledge and approval of the Farman-Farma (then
Governor General of Fars) to provide guards and had done so with
out any question being raised by the Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. .
* * ' • %
(2) The special status of the Kashkuli had been recognized in 192Q by
an agreement between Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Ashair, Qawam-ul-Mulk and Others
whereby the right of the latter (representing the other half of the
tribes of Fars) to protect the interests of the Kashkuli was recog
nized.
(31 The Company for reasons of its own desire to start work at once in the
autumn of 1921—and was advised that in order to do so it was
necessary to come to an agreement with the Kashkuli whose winter
quarters lie so far distant from the winter quarters of the Hkh
(east of Ferozabad) that the latter would in practice be unable
to force them against their will to give the requisite local protection
and assistance to the Company.
The Comnanv would have preferred to come to an agreement with the
Sam Ind with the Kashkuli simultaneously, or first with the
former and then with the latter ; but this course was found to be
immacticable owing to the strained relations existing between the
Sr.nl Ilkh.ni at that thne, and .wj^tothefeo^
that the dates of migration and lines of movement of the two parties
made a joint meeting impossible.
P . • ,t „ „„rppment bv the Kashkuli however the
(4) At the time of signing g f u announced its intention of
. Company had publicly * J tlie subject wi th the Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. ,
^nthorit/”™ ^KaahMi it had at no time quoafon-
ed.
C216ID