"مجلد I مذكرات بخصوص بلاد فارس والمنطقة الحدودية الشمالية الغربية. ١٩٠٥." [و‎‎٢‎١] (٣١٠/٤٦)

t 3 ]
retention of office to be a cause of embarrass
ment to the Persian Government. His Majesty
has sent him re-assuring messages, urging him
to ignore the matter. Mons. Naus has stated
that he anticipates a fresh crusade against the
Bahis, similar to the outrages at Ispahan and
Yezd in the summer of 1903, and he is of
opinion that this affair, together with the
recent movement at Tabriz (paragraph 9 of
the March Journal) indicates a concerted
movement having as its objective the expulsion
of all Christians from the Customs adminis
tration and the abolition of the new Tariff
against hotli of which popular feeling is wide
spread and antagonistic.
9. The Persian Foreign Office has
officially denied a rumour which was current
that a monopoly for the sale of oil in Persia
had been granted to a Russian firm, Manta-
eheff & Co., for a sum of 60,000 tomans.
10. Tabriz .—His Majesty’s Government
have consulted the Board of Trade on Sir A.
Hardinge’s proposal to appoint a British
Commercial Agent at Tabriz (paragraph 9,
Journal for March), and the Board have in
timated their concurrence in the suggestion
as being probably advantageous in maintaining
the existence of the Trebizond-Tabriz route for
British trade with the northern provinces
of Persia.
11. XJnmia .—The Kurdish Chiefs sus
pected of complicity in the murders committed
by Seyed Ghaffar at Urumia, have been
taken to Tehran, and, though not actually
incarcerated, are under observation as State
prisoners pending the result of enquiries as to
their guilt. Two other suspected accomplices
are in Turkey, and another, an old man of
ninety, has for the present been allowed to
remain in Azerbaijan.
The Mushir-ed-Dowleh has promised to
bring the matter to an early conclusion, and
to submit to the Shah a claim made by Sir
A. Hardinge for the payment of compensation
to the relatives of the murdered Mushi Daniel.
12. Arabistan .—Reports continue to be
received from Major Morton in connection
with the Karun river irrigation scheme (vide
paragraph 10 of the Memorandum for
March), but so far no definite conclusion can
be arrived at as to the feasibility of the
project. On the 19th April, a report was
received that Mr. Van Roggen had left Ahwaz
for Mohammerah, and that it was understood
he intends to proceed to Holland.
13. Luristan .—From papers received from
the Minister at Tehran, it appears that the
Persian Government is making only a half
hearted attempt to exact retribution from the
Lur tribe who w’ere concerned in the recent
attack on Colonel Douglas and Lieutenant
Lorimer (vide paragraph 11 of the Memoran
dum for March).