"تقارير إدارية ١٩٢٠-١٩٢٤" [و‎‎١‎٣‎٤] (٤١٢/٢٧٢)

perslot gulf political resideitcy, 1923.
19
expenditure has been greatly in excess of the 1,500 Tnmans (£300), the present
emoluments of the position, it is understood that the next appointment will
be on a much lower scale, and it is difficult to imagine how the Governor-G-eneral
will be able to keep up the position and necessary influence without making
money by underhand and illicit means.
M ilitary A ffairs.
Turning to military administration, the force in Fars and tl]e Gulf Ports
has been increased, chiefly by recruits sent from Kerman, to about 2,000 officers
and men, by now fairly well-drilled though not altogether well-found in uniform
and accoutrements. This figure does not cover the detachment in Behbehan
and the Kuhgilu, which has been organized by the Divisional Command in
Isfahan^ and may total some 300 effectives. By March 1924 the force in Shiraz
had dwindled to a ration strength of 404 subordinate officers and men, and
some 3p officers, owing to the rest being absent on expeditionary work. Military
activities in Fars have been as follows :—
(i) In the spring of 1923 a force from Isfahan penetrated to the north
west boundary of the province, occupied the.district of Simirun
and the summer-quarters of some of the Qashqai and the Kuhgiiu :
with the exception of some 200 men left in the Kuhgilu the rest
were subsequently withdrawn, after hostages had been taken and
heavy fines levied from the principal district chiefs.
{ii) In June the chieftain of Humaijan, Mir Abbas., was summoned to
destroy the forts, and subsequently arrested in Shiraz. On the
refusal of his sons to obey, a force of 350 men with guns was sent
out from Shiraz in July : they were resisted, and lost 27 killed and
wounded before breaches were made by gunfire in the strong chain
^ of forts, and the rebels fled. • The force then proceeded to super
intend the destruction of towers of the Dushmanziari, Jawi,
Kustam in the Mamasanni country and of Kashkuli towers in the
neighbourhood of Humaijan, and took drastic steps against the
chiefs by imprisonment, fines and looting of villages,- which brought
about a marked return to security in that lawless region. Mir
M^kur and other sons of Mir Abbas, having taken to the hills as
outlaws, defied a cavalry detachment and local levies sent to round
them up, plundered caravans and from November to March again
established themselves in some of the Humaijan forts, despite the
military post in the vicinity. Moreover, their father, taken out
in December by the intervention of a Mulla and ( democrat ' leader
to induce his sons to surrender, escaped from his guards owing
perhaps to connivance of the party, and rejoined the rest of the
band. Their ruthless treatment of caravans belonging to their
enemies by March 1924 made a certain area 50 miles from Shiraz
somewhat unsafe. The Brigadier-General found it impracticable
and too costly to take active measures against Imam Quli Khan,
chief of the Rustam clan of Mamasanni, who had so stoutly with
stood a force in 1922, and decided to treat with him for voluntary
submission.
(in) In October 1923 the arrival near Shiraz of Soulat-ud-Douleh on the
tribal migration south was made the occasion for a demonstration
to impress the Qashqai chieftain in the shape of manoeuvres at
which he was entertained with ceremony and officials and notables
of Shiraz were guests. The policy of the central government and
of the military towards Soulat-ud-Douleh has remained that of
the ' velvet glove ', and the 1 steel*hand ' has not been disclosed.
But, notwithstanding the countenance given him in his action
against the Anglo-Persian Oil Coy., Ltd.j in'September, and the
actual support in "his candidature for the Majlis at Jahrum in
November, there are signs that he is uneasy at the ultimate inten
tions of the central government towards him. He was called upon to
pay arrears of revenue amounting to 300,000 Tumans and thought
it advisable to make no difficulty about compromising for the pay T
ment of 130 ; 000 b^ instalments; and full revenue for the current