"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [ظ‎‎١‎١‎٩] (٦١٦/٢٤٣)

48 ADMINISTRATION EEPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY;
of obtaining oil in paying quantities and predicts the earl^ closing of these
borings and witb tliem of tbe operations of the Syndicate.
The staff has been reduced to the lowest possible limit since the commence
ment of the calendar year, but Mr. Eeynolds, whose agreement expired in
January, was induced to renew his engagement for a further period of six
mouths.
The Syndicate's work has throughout been heavily handicapped by the
continual thefts and occasional display of hostility by the people of the
locality, a state of things which is entirely attributable to the failure of the
Khans to make those arrangements for the protectioa of the Company 's
interests which were necessary and which they were bound by the terns of
their agreement to make.
The provision of supplies, firewood, etc., has also been a matter of great
difficulty, and in February and March the Syndicate was threatened by the
total failure of its water supply, at all times insufficient and distant.
74. One British Indian subject visited Ahwaz for a short time in autumn
in connection with the wheat trade.
75. Karun Irrigation Scheme. —No local developments occurred in the
Karun Irrigation Scheme, and the question has dropped from public atten
tion. Major Morton, R.E., concluded his researches in connection with it and
was recalled to India in August.
76. The presence of two British officers with the Indian Oil Guards and
the fact that one of them, Lieutenant Wilson, had a taste for, and experience
in, military surveying gave an opportunity for improving the existing maps.
During spring he was able to cover the ground lying between Ahwaz
Hamuz, Balun, Malamir and Shusbter, and to produce a very satisfactory
prismatic compass survey of the tract. He has further collected very
complete information from a military point of view regarding that district.
Ek work will be submitted to the Intelligence Branch when completed.
F oreign enterprise and activities^
77. Bussia. —The Russian Government was represented throughout the
year by the Dutch merchant, M. P. ter Meulen. There were no signs of
commercial or political activity.
A native agent of the firm represented by the name Telesky visited
Dizful and Shushter in the beginning of 1908. He collected a considerable
amount, some 5,000 Tumans, of outstanding claims of the Company at the
former place, and it is also said that he was similarly successful at the latter.
78. Germany.—the vigorous interest which Germany has begun
to display in the Persian Gulf, and in Persia in general, did not make itself
ft It in these provinces outside tbe town of Muhammerah.
There they do not seem to have attempted any political activity, but
they leased a part of the river bank for use as a wharf at the extravagant price
of 10,000 Krans per annum. This was leased from the Sheikh and the terms
bear the stamp ot: the mediation of Haji Eais.
Haji Eais is also understood to have bought barley on behalf of the
Germans, and he holds the agency for their newly established line of steamers
(The Hamburg-A merika).
79. Ter Meulen Gratama 8f Co- —This Dutch firm have been pursuing
their business in an unostentatious manner. They took no part in the wheat
trade, probably owing to lack of sufficient capital. M. ter Menlen's former
assistant. Van Burren, dissatisfied with his position and prospects, left in the
month of August.
M. Gratama appears to exercise some restraining influence on his
partner's eccentricities with the result that violent attacks on Messrs. Lynch
Brothers which used to be frequent, and which M. ter Meulen always turned to-
His Britannic Majesty's Vice-Consul to adjust, when ho had began to repeat
of them, have passed from the order of the day.