"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [ظ‎‎١‎٠‎٠] (٦١٦/٢٠٥)

30 ADMINISTRATION ftEPOUT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY.
As the Shief route can only be advocated for dishonest purposes or f r
the fact that the Khan of the other route has become too rapacious, the Cent 0 ^
Government could, if they chose, settle the matter by making the Shief ro t
illegal and by insisting on the Governor of Bushire regulating the levies f 6
fodder and water imposed by the Khan of Chahkuta, who controls the Ahme?
route. This they will not do and when referred to invariably reply th f
traders are at liberty to use which route they please. Such instructions afford
no solution of the difficulty whatever and simply allow the question to remain
a constant source of dissension and intrigue. As it is, for the last few year
the energetic advocation of the Ahmedi route by the British forwarding aeent
supported by the Residency leaves them for the time in possession of the
Ahmedi route, but the difficulty is only prevented from assuming serious
proportions by a periodical struggle with the local authorities.
Rahdari and other illegal transit dues are still levied all over the countrv
and will continue to be, as long as the Central Government is neither able nor
willing to suppress them.
Thanks to the energy which His Majesty's Vice-Consul devotes to this
branch of his work, and to the co-operation experienced from the Mowagar-ed-
Dowleh and his brother at the Karguzaret, the position of the mercantile com
munity as regards the recovery of current claims is much improved. On the
other hand, owing to the entire absence of effective Government at Tehran, it has
not been possible to make any advance in the recovery of our old outstanding
nor does it seem likely that they will ever be made good.
The sailings of the Odessa Line have been continued in a half-hearted way
during the year but their ships have brought very little cargo, and the Agent
of the Line, Monsieur Mishtolt, recently admitted that he was doing practically
no business at all. He is, in fact, about to leave for Europe owing to the stag
nation, and does not expect that the Company will continue to maintain a
European representative. It is indeed a matter tor some surpiise that they
continue their sailings at all.
The German Line on the other hand shows unabated energy, but according
to our own commercial firms they are carrying on business on lines which
cannot possibly pay unless heavily subsidised. Special reports regarding details
of their operations have been drawn up in the Consulate-General during the
year and the subject is fully dealt with by His Majesty's Vice-Consul in his
Trade Report and only calls for passing reference here.
Messrs. Wonckhaus continue to make Lingah their stronghold and the
training ground for thejr European recruits, and there they have the field, such
as it is, to themselves. In this conntction again our own nationalists aver that
the Germans are trading on reckless principles, which they could only employ
if they were guaranteed against loss by their Government.
ration Syndicate. It is now . a year and a half since Mr. Hatinoglou left the Gulf for
Europe, proposing to return in two or three months to renew his diving opera
tions. Locally nothing has been heard of him or his Syndicate during the year
under report, but it appears that in May 1907 the latter were seeking financial
assistance in the London money market, and in this connection the Resident's
views were asked as to whether it would be expedient that British capital
should be encouraged to finance the enterprise. He replied that while no trust
worthy information was forthcoming locally as to the commercial possibilities
of the enterprise, he was of opinion, subject to that consideration, that it
would be expedient to encourage British capital provided that the Syndicate
would undertake to conform strictly to the policy which the British Govern
ment have always pursued in these waters, of non-interference with the rights
of Arab tribes to the pearl-fisheries.
Since then nothing further has been heard of the Syndicate's proceedings.
Oxidl^ohees 8 . 3, f qt J 11 re P^ to the representations mentioned in last year's report, the Sheikh
siGn. oi onargah was informed that his action in resuming the concession appeared
to Government to be justified and that he was therefore at liberty to take the
necessary steps to make good the resumption. In the latter part of June 1907
eikh Sagar wrote to say that inspire of his warnings the concessionaire,
iiassan Samaiyeh, had reinforced his miners and refused to stop his operations.
Illegal levies.
Settlement of
claims.
Operations of
the Russian
Odessa Line of
Steamers.
The Hamburg-
Am erik a Line
and German
competition.
Pponge Explo-