'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for the Years 1915-1919' [‎177r] (360/396)

FOR THE TEAR 1919.
They vere accordingly handed over, and all subsidies formerly paid to
them fcr tlieir good behaviour, withdrawn.
From the beginning of June up to date, the only event of importance
has been the publication of the terms of the Angel-Persian Agreement.
Tt caused no particular stir as the moral and political atmosphere, the
creation of which was apparently one of the aims of the agreement, has been
in actual existence for some time past.
The agreement, however, was received very favourably as being a cate
gorical expression of the good-will of the British Government and a guarantee
of its continued interest and protection, the value of which is "nowhere
more highly appreciated than in this province, especially by the masses and the
mercantile community.
The Sheikh of Mohammerab, although genuinely welcoming the agreement,
at the same time realises that there are certain personal disvantages accruing
therefrom, the principal being that the considerable revenue demand upon him
by the Persian Government will receive substantial backing by our own.
Occasional departure from the path of righteousness have met with prompt
punishment from the Sheikh of Mohammerah, through his son Sheikh Abdul
Hamid Khan, the Deputy Governor of Ahwaz.
The importance of our Military backing, however, must not be lost sight
of, the tribes submit to punishment and to the enforcement of law and order,
merely because they are afraid of the force which they know lies behind the
Sheikh of Mohammerah, contact with which they are most anxious to
avoid, and although in no case has military pressure been brought to bear on
them, the moral effect of its presence is sufficient.
Pending developments expected as the outcome of the Angle-Persian
Agreement, no scheme has as yet been put forward to replace this force, w 7 hen
it is eventually withdrawn.
Some such force whether composed of tribal levies, gendarmarie, or orga
nised by the Sheikh of Mohammerah on the line of the Indian Imperial Service
troops, is an absolute necessity if the former state of cnaos is not to be
reverted to.
The Civil Hospital which has grown from a mere Vice-Consulate Chari
table Dispensary, now contains 30 beds with a separate vemieal Oiancn.
A table of attendance in comparison with 1918 is attached (appendix 1).
Except for the pay of the Civil'Surgeon, and a Sub-Assistant Surgeon,
it is self-supporting and it is hopod to arrange for its activities to ex.en 0
Dizful and Shushtar in the future. The cost of drugs, howtver, a ar D o 1 em
of expenditure, which has up till quite lately been borne bj . e ^ j at l
will no doubt seriously hamper the work of the hospital it fui lei oca . uppu
is not forthcoming.
Patients of all classes from Bakhtiari, Kughilu and Luristan attend, and
its undoubted political value cannot be under -estimated. , .
The Civil Surgeon is also responsible ioy the organisatimi ^
pality and is thus able to control the sanitation ot the tovv n, Q
which compares very favourably with any other m t le as ■.
Crops, —Owing to the unbroken tranquility of the past ® . ^ ^
r 6 bitants have had ample oppoitunity to
Economical. attend to agriculture and trade. JjotiJ^
as may be expected, have flourished. .
The area put under cultivation this year was approximately one-third more
than last. Unfortunately the rains were poor so that tho ci i
those of last year. . , • i.- „ii„
There has, however, been no shortage and prices hav^ remaine p^ac
the same, » . . . a ■
Oattle. —Cattle in the Shush district, on the ^7^ done
Bamhormuz area, have been affected by Bmderpest, > : >
well. Sheep have also had disease.