"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [و‎‎١‎١‎١] (٦١٦/٢٢٦)

AND THE MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 1907-1908.
81
10. During the last two months the Khans have repeatedly declared their
intention of coming down to meet the Sheikh in his own territory, but tip to the
.end of March they had not made good their words. That such a matter should
have come nnder contemplation is in itself something, and appears significant
of a considerable shifting of their habitual point of view. Formerly only
junior Khans, such as Ynsuf Khan, have visited the Sheikh, and that only in
the capacity of subordinate Agents.
11. Whether owing to merely external circumstances or not, the relations
of the Sheikh with Sheikh Mubarak of Koweit have come into greater promi
nence than previously. The visit of Sheikh Mubarak to Eailiya in conm ction
with the marriage of Chasib, Sheikh KhazaTs son, occurred before thebeoinning
of the period now under review, but only slightly so, and the visit was repeated
during the course of the Beni Turuf campaign.
Sheikh Mubarak is reported to have proffered his active assistance in that
campaign, whieh was, it is said, declined. Hut the attention of the Tehran
Majlis was attracted and a question was asked in that assembly as to the
relations of the two Sheikhs and the presence of Mubarak, an alien, in Persian
territory. There is always an inherent readiness in the Persian mind to believe
in Sheikh KhazaTs desire to emancipate himself from the sovereignty of
Persia, though he has done nothing to justify such an inference, and is probably
not particularly anxious to accept the anxieties of independence were they
placed within his immediate reach.
12. The Turhs. Tho antagonism between Persia and Turkev which, if not
actually caused by the border question at Urumia, has at least been clearly
brought to a focus m that region, has latterly begun to bear fruit in the minds of
the people of South-W^est Persia. It is difficult to give dates, but already in
the beginning of the last cold weather there were rumours of designs of aggres
sion harboured by the Turks, and it was asserted that they intended to
foster unrest among the tribes on their border with a view to precipitating an
invasion into the Hawiza district. These rumours, stimulated apparently by
actual signs of military activity at Basrah and Baghdad eventually developed
m March into circumstantial accounts of orders received by the Sheikh from
Tehran to attack and seize Basrah, and of musterings of his followers com
manded by him with that object.
No breach of the international peace in this quarter has, however, as vet
occurred. J
It is generally asserted by the Arabs here that the Arab subjects of the
Sultan in the neig-hbourhood of Basrah would be only too willing to fall under
the rule of the Sheikh.
The Sheikh moreover has very extensive landed property on the south of
the Shat-el-Arab, and his tenants on Turkish soil amount, on the authority of
Sheikh Hanzal, to 30,000 (men or souls ?).
An outbreak of hostilities in this region may be regarded as a very remote
contingency, but were it to occur the initial advantage would lie with the
Persians, which it would not, it may be presumed, in the north where the
Turks are exerting pressure.
13. Before quitting the subject of the external affairs of Southern Arabistan,
it should be remarked that the Sheikh, tiring of his endeavours to secure the
effective co-operation of the Bakhtiari Khans in the Government of Behbahan
District, threw up his part in that Government, and withdrew Sheikh Hanzal,
who had been representing him at Behbahan. Sheikh Hanzal's return took
place in May, but the formal renouncement of the Government bv the Sheikh
was of a later date.
• 14s ' ■British 4 fairs.—The principal question relating to British interests
in Southern Arabistan, during the period now under consideration, was in
connection with the purchase and sale of wheat.
The harvest of 1907 was a bumper one, and the exports of grain, com
mencing m August, were large. Export was still in full swing in November,
when m favourable seasons the first winter rains are looked for. The early
rams are not essential to good crops in the following year as sowing may take
place any time before the end of January.