'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for the Years 1911-1914' [‎19v] (43/488)

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ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
In September, the firm rented large additional premises in a good situa
tion fronting the creek, from the heirs of the late Haji Muhammad Sheffi.
They also renewed, for a period of three years, their lease of the property of
the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Dragoman at a higher rental, but the well-situated wharfage
space in front of the building, lying next to the Customs premises, was this
time excluded by the owners from the agreement. Several other warehouses
facing the creek were rented, and a very large staff employed in buying and
cleaning grain.
At the end of the year the German firm announced that they had made
very large profits from their Gulf business during 1911, the sum of £50,000
being mentioned (though probably greatly exaggerated); substantial bonuses
were distributed to all Persian employes at Bushire, wheat brokers, cleaners,
fete.
In conversation, Herr Eisenhut has said that 1911 was an excellent year
for them, coming after three bad years. The freight rebates by the subsidised
line must have largely contributed to this.
In January and February the firm were still being hampered at Bushire
with the situation created by their shady Persian employes, Haji Muhammad
Hasan and Mirza Husain, ex- Munshi A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf. of the German Consulate. The former
had fled to Tangistan to escape debts to German and British firms, and a
charge of having made away with a sum in coin shipped in native craft for
the purpose of buying grain; he was eventually induced to return, however,
by Herr Krumpeter, apparently on a promise of being whitewashed. By
thus dropping the charge of misappropriation and " finding " that the money
bags had fallen overboard, the firm were able to recover the value from the
Insurance Company, and at the same time to save themselves from parting
with a valuable henchman. Haji Muhammad on his return apparently
exposed ex- Munshi A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf. Mirza Husain, for a few days afterwards Herr Krum
peter proceeded to force an entry into the latter's house for the purpose of
seizing certain documents, and was somewhat roughly handled by Mirza
Husain's adherents. Mirza Husain himself took sanctuary with a local
Mullah, and claims against him concerning his dealings in arms were subse
quently lodged by the German firm.
The firm was represented at Bushire from February to the end of the
year by Herr Eisenhut, who succeeded Herr Krumpeter, who went on leave.
In August Herr Sandri from Bahrain arrived to assist Herr Eisenhut.
An incident occurred, in September, over a coolie A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. , who had taken ad
vances from both British and German Shipping Companies in the course of
which a Farrash of the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. laid hands on the coolie A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. on the open wharf
in front of the German firm's office.
The German Consul took up a very blustering attitude vis-a-vis the
Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , claiming violation of domicile and demanding condign punish
ment of the Farrash, on the ground that the wharf was included in the Ger
man firm's lease from the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Dragoman. On the contrary being
proved, he resorted to the argument that in the scuffle the Farrash and coolie A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory.
had even touched the walls of the German office. The Farrash concerned
was unfortunately murdered a few days later by a private acquaintance who
picked a quarrel with him, and correspondence with the German Consulate
thus came to an end.
Slave Trade. Fi % slaves who had taten refuge
respectively at Lmgah (22), Shargah (4)
and Bahrain (24) were manumitted during the year.
, , . , ^ 4 The results of the daily observations
Meteorological Observatory. t> i • i i • m i -
at Bushire are recorded m Tabular
Statements Nos. I and II attached.
The Resident paid a visit to Mohammerah and the Shatt-el-Arab, in
Tours February, and took occasion to meet two
of the Directors of the Anglo-Persian
Oil Company who arrived during the month from London on a tour of inspec
tion.