"تقرير الإدارة عن المقيمية السياسية في الخليج الفارسي للأعوام ١٩١٥-١٩١٩" [ظ‎‎٩‎٤] (٣٩٦/١٩٥)

16
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY
the Democrats and of the anti-monarchical movement in general, and considered
it both necessary and convenient to sacrifice the Sardar on the Democratic
altar.
Having, as he thought, secured the Consulate's neutrality, the Prince
early in November removed Sardar Nusrat from the Deputy Governorship and
refused to have any dealings with him at all. At the same time he urged the Shah
by telegram to summon the Sardar to Tehran, and arranged, through Ihtisham
for the Democrats to send numerous telegrams to the Persian Government
against him. Later, he obtained the Sardar's dismissal from the last of his
dignities, the Headship of the local Army. The Sardar and his friends did not
of course, lie down under this treatment; they too endeavoured frequently and
at great length to enlist the support of His Majesty's Consulate, and send
frequent telegrams to Tehran against the Governor General. Early in Noyem-
ber orders came that Sardar Nusrat should be sent to Tehran/ This could
not be allowed, as it would have meant the utter ruin and spoliation of the
Sardar, his family and property; and after correspondence with His
Majesty's Vice-Consul on the subject His Majesty's Minister sent a imss^e
to the Sardar advising him not to leave Kerman. The Prince Governor
was much put .out by the opposition of His Majesty's Vice -Consul and
informed the latter, on December the 1st, that he had sent in his resignation
as his honour was involved and he could not remain in Kerman an hour
longer if the Sardar stayed. His Majesty's Vice-Consul, who had throughout
been working for a reconciliation, induced the Prince to remain at his ^post
pointing out that, having reduced the Sardar to the position of a private citizen'
he could afford to leave him alone. The year ended with prospects of a recon
ciliation apparently more hopeful, though it was destined that, as early as 8th
January 1918, hostilities should be re-opened against the Sardar and other Ano -lo-
philes by the Prince and the Democrats, resulting in the discomfiture of "the
latter party and the final departure of the Governor General.
Apart from his relations with His Majesty's Consulate in connection with
Sardar Nusrat. tlle Governor General and Kurdistani,
r • ji j. ..t Sardar Nusrat has continued to be on
nendly terms with tiie Lntish and, on occasion, of considerable use to them.
Though his efforts to produce recruits for the South Persia Eifles have been
somewhat barren of result, Consulate and South Persia Eifles alike have been
sure of help m any ordinary matter referred by them to the Sardar, whose great
local influence usually renders such help effective. It cannot be doubted that
the sardar s attitude is dictated largely by self-interest and his conviction tbat
e n s ert 1 to stay; but this fact does not necessarilv detract from his
utility, and m any case his friends must take him as they find him. Himself a
andowner on a considerable scale, he has also been, since 1916, the lessor of the
i e " slYe P ro P er ties in the Kerman province; in both capaci-
factor in the situation. " C0UDtry his S oodwi11 a relatively stable
Mirza Assadullah Khan Kurdistani arrived towards the end of January
The Ee/enue Depariment. ari ^ 0ver the Revenue Department
r -ill „ „ ^ I0m Banan-ud-Dowleh. His Majesty's
LolsuI had unsuccessfully opposed the appointment of Kurdistani, as
0 1° trou ^ e .' an ^ eyen t proved him risrht. Very
^ i 01 . ^ arri ? a ' however, it became clear that whatever Kurdistani's
tn Hip 6 "ii 0 was ? C) i T1 n to apply himself energetically
near fhp i ^ T ?! r | veriu ®» and as the finances of Kerman were faced,
beW wf* tr * > e n finan< ? ial y; ear ' with a much larger deficit than ever
recmpst for n - S rr ° nsu .! dec i4 ed comply with the new Agent's urgent
and hp bpon ^ h B:urd ! stai f k s ancient eil emy in these parts was Sardar Nusrat,
of the nrnvfnp^ accusing the latter of being the cause of the bankruptcy
lnt\CX 0 T gt0hlS p0ll S y 0f f0rcin - the Pevenue Department to
to tL crol H r r SS r S 0 n rev r ue 0n amount of imaginary calamities
Kurdistani tiip Pn 8 ^ a 3^y s Consul arranged several meetings at which
and mains n f' T ii A e !- 10r ? en Sardar Nusrat discussed w r itli him ways
cultvTas onP ? CU1Tent year,s arrears of revenue. The chief diffi-
la 18 ln herent m the anomalous position of the Financial