"الملف 26/185 V (F 96) شيخ المحمرة" [و‎‎٥‎٢] (٤٧٢/١٠٩)

4.
Caiasslb and that ht kas beerj told that w« shall aiost
assuredly assist the Fersians in case of trouble, CI
append a copy of a letter now received^.
I kad a lon^' iuterview witk tiit Cioveriior during
the afternoon of the 13th and he is convinced that Skaikh
Ghassib or his agents have been spreadinf news amonf the
Arabs here of the possibility of his coiain^ to Khorra^shahr
to take his place at the head of the Arabs. he does not
necessarily connect the occurances of the 12th with this but
he believes a certain local vrab Shaikh Haji Ali Fassali
had actually collected a party of twelve araed ^rabs fro*
Iraq that night and that they were to »eet in the house of
the Shaikh 's sister at Khorraushahr.
I have had a variety of explanations for the com-
-mencement of the incident itself. The firt»t is that
given at tat outset, a second ie that the party of twelve
Arabs described by the Governor were seen and fired upon by
persons who thought they were ordinary robbers, and a third
that two police who had taken liquor saw a do^ and Mistaking
it for a suspicious character fired two shots at it. This
started the hue and cry and the police themselves bolted taxi
taking refuse in ay motor driver s house. My motor driver
vouched for the presence of trie two police at his house,
in ay own mind 1 favour the third theory, and 1 have strongly
advised the Governor to exercise the utmost care in sifting
any other story, since ^ suspect a tendency on the part of
the Persian authorities to take advantage of this occurrance
and use it as an excuse for rounding up and deporting certain
Arabs they dislike.
The ni^ht of the 13th passed off quietly thougii
one unexplained shot was heard at 2 a.m.
Today, 14th, the Goven^r informed me tnat two
agents and leading Arabs of ohadgan^Abdul riassan Mojjadem
and JNasir bin Fazal had g'one to Basra and he believed them
to be in Shalkk Ghassib*6 house. This infonrjation 1 kave
passed to Colonel S argon, C.I.C.I., Basra#
Evidence of the general attitude of the British
authorities seeras to have had a considerably heartening effect
upon the -Persian population, whilst the Arabs seea to be con-
-tent to accept the situation. At no time however will
they deny there is anything in the air: they merely re-
-iterate that they are solely for the British and will do
nothing without their orders. This I believe to be the case,
but there raust always be a risk of snail parties of irres-
-ponsible or irrepressible elemtats who may take advantage
of any opportunity for loot, whilst a realisation that not iing
is to be hoped for from the oritish, except announcements
that grievances will be examined and justice done by the new
Persian Government-announceuents received by tue Arabs wita
considerable scepticism - and continued petty harassing by
the Amnieh may lead to soaetiiing on a much larger scale.
I am sending a copy of this letter to the hon'ble
the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf J* His ajesty 's
Consul-General, ^esra, and his Majesty^ Consul,Ah waz.
1 kave the konour to be,
•jir,
Your most obedient servant.
: .M r s Consul, Kkorramshahr.