'File W/4 Hostilities in Persia: Tangistan Blockade; Confiscation of Tea for Tangistan' [‎26v] (50/411)

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Europe on leave. His Excellency replied that as I was aware he had not
received any pay for two months, nor had his stiff. I answered that this could
probably be arranged. He then said that he could not make any move
without telegraphing to the Persian Government as to do so would confirm
them in the view which they would certainly take that the occupation had
been a prearranged matter between himself and us. I accordingly agreed that
he might telegraph to the Persian Government mentioning that possibly their
suggestion would not be acceptable to us. I informed His Excellency that he
might receive his friends, etc., at his country house, but that I regretted that it
was impossible to permit him to go to town. At the close of the interview, when
conducting me across the courtyard, His Excellency remarked " my friends
always told me that something of this sort would happen if i worked with the
English," and with this, a rather unpleasant interview terminated I may say
that I think that His Excellency exaggerated the amount of assistance he has
pi yen to us, and that 1 do not trust him v-ry much myself. Later in the day
His Excellency was further agitated by exaggerated reports of the rough treat
ment given to his furniture and other property in the town house by the
sepoys Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. who occupied the place. From enquiries I have made, I think that the
party was perhaps rough, quite unwittingly, through considering the place
more as if it w ere a captured enemy stronghold instead of merely the house
of a Governor of a friendly (?) being temporarily occujjied.
Later in the morning Monsieur Bourgeois came in to town and called
upon me. He agreed to carry on the work and has since got practically all
the stall" to sign an agreement to serve us. He is behaving in a very satisfac
tory manner and giving every assistance. All he asked was that if he got
into any difficulties with the Persian Government, we would recommend him
lor the Chinese Maritime Customs. I replied that I could not make any
promises as to whether the Government would be able to recommend him to
the Chinese Maritime Customs Department or whether the latter would con-?
sider him a suitable man, but I thought it possible that if he worked well here,
something could be done for him in that direction.
Early in the morning of the 8th I issued a brief proclamation based on
Foreign Department telegram No. 680, dated 17th July, giving the reasons for
the occupation of Bushire; and subsequently notices prohibiting people going
about armed, and indiscriminate firing either by day or night, etc.
I have arranged that Abdur Basul, who was previously Kalantar of
Bushire in the Darya Begi's days, will again act as Kalantar frem the 1st of
next (Mubammadan) month. Up to the time of writing every tiling has been
quite quiet and as far as can be seen at present there is reason to hope that
the place will remain quiet.
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