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‘Report on the Administration of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muscat Political Agency for the Year 1880-81’ [‎73r] (18/244)

The record is made up of 1 volume (121 folios). It was created in 1881. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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EESIDENCY AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. FOR 1880-81. 9
preparations were made to put him to a cruel death immediately on
arrival. The presence of some European spectators m the throng-
seems to have served so far to mitigate the form of punishment that
the Shaikh was simply strangled at the foot of the scaffold and the
corpse gibbeted on a gallows over which was inscribed an ironical legend.
A few of Shaikh Mazkoor's followers were put to death at the same
time. It may be remarked that death by strangling is usually reserved
for Khans and persons of some dis-
Vide Appendix B, Note. tinction, more vulgar offenders being
dismissed by cutting the throat with a knife.
His Royal Highness the Mo 'temid-ed-Dowlah, during his tenure
of the government o£ Pars, maintained very friendly relations with the
British officials. In April 1880 the Resident accompanied by his stall,
proceeded to Shiraz to visit the Prince, and was received with much
distinction and courtesy.
The local politics of Shiraz, the seat of Government are at a
times somewhat variable and intricate. How power and influence will
be distributed under the new regime cannot be safely predicted.
I think it not out of place, however, to attach, as an appendix to
this part of the report, selected extracts
Appendix B* £ rom an interesting and useful memo
randum of observations on the politics and people of Fars, which was
written by Captain E. L. Durand, late Assistant Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in
1879, and submitted in another form.
The Eel-Khani of the Kashgais is Sultan Mohammed Khan, who
resides at Firozabad. Complaints of exactions were made against him
by the inhabitants of that district.
Dfoib Khan, the Eel-Begi, was at one time in danger of being
deposed, being in arrears of the amount of revenue expected from him.
A collision occurred between Darib Khan and his followers and the
people of the district of Falard, arising from hostility between the
Kashdais and the Bakhtiyari Eels.
Owing to two consecutive seasons of dearth, prices of food rose
throughout South Persia to famine rates, and much distress existed in
the summer and autumn. This has been relieved by the plentiful rain
fall of last autumn and winter.
It was announced that a sum of 100,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. was to be raised
from Fars as a contribution to the expenses of the military operations
against the rebellious Kurds. A sum of 25,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. was actually
collected.
BusJiire. —At Bushire the case of claims of British merchants
against one Abdul Nubbee, who has attempted to defraud Messrs. Gray,
Paul & Co. in a large amount, has continued to occupy attention, i he
Governor of Bushire having declined to act further m the case, and
improper influence having been brought to bear by Persians of high
* The ghastly scene was photographed from -an adjoining palace by a lively
young scion of royalty.

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Content

Administration Report on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. 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. and Muscat Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. for 1880-81, published by Authority at the Foreign Department Press, India (Calcutta), forming part of the Selections from the Records of the Government of India, Foreign Department (No. 181) and based on reports sent to Government by Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Charles Ross, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . The report is preceded by a copy of a letter sent by Ross to Sir Alfred Comyn Lyall, Secretary to the Government of India, dated 14 July 1881, which enclosed the submission of the original reports to the Government of India (folio 69).

The report is divided up into a number of parts, as follows:

1. General Report , prepared by Ross (folios 70-82), which is divided a number of small reports, organised by region and subject, as follows: 1. ’Omán [Oman] or Muskat State; 2. Pirate Coast; 3. Islands of Bahrain; 4. Nejd, El-Hasá [Al-Hasa] and El-Katr [Qatar]; 5. Southern Persia, with subheadings for Arabistan, Fars, Bushire, Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh] and Persian Beloochistan [Baluchistan]; and 6. Bassidore; naval; slave traffic; the observatory at Bushire; and the purchase of mules in Persia. Under the observatory report (folio 74) there is a handwritten pencil note (author unknown) which questions the underlined term ‘Samoom’ in the text, described as ‘a scorching northerly wind’. Three appendices follow the report: Appendix A comprises tabulated meteorological data from the Bushire observatory; Appendix B contains extracts from a report written by Captain Edward Durand, former Assistant Resident, on the men and internal politics of Fars; Appendix C is a genealogical table showing part of the Kájár [Qājār] royal family of Persia, indicating their present official appointments.

2. Administration Report of the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , Muscat, for the year 1879-80 , prepared by Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Barrett Miles, Her Britannic Majesty’s Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. and Consul in Muscat (folios 83-98), chiefly reporting on internal political affairs, with additional short reports on changes in British offical personnel and the slave trade. Two appendices follow the report: A. A note on the tribes of Oman, written by Miles, with tabulated data on the population, district and political affiliation of tribes, and separate sections dedicated to each main tribe, detailing their geographic location, character, and internal organisation. Appendix A also includes two genealogical tables, entitled ‘Seif bin Mohammed bin Saeed bin Mohammed bin Abdulla Âb Boo Saidi’ (folio 92) and ‘Khalfân bin Mohammad bin Abdulla el Wakeel Âb Boo Saidi’ (folio 93). Folio 94 is a note, inserted into the volume at a later, unspecified date, stating that a map, plan or sketch has been temporarily removed from the volume. Appendix B is a note, prepared by Ross, on the Ibadhiyah sect of Oman, with the translation of chapter 29 of “Keshf-ul-Ghummeh-El-Jama’l ’Akhbár-el-Ummeh” of the Shaikh Sirhán-bin-Sa’íd-el-’Alwai of Oman.

3. Report of trade in 1880 , prepared by Ross (folios 98-175), comprising a summary of trade and the harvest in southern Persia, and imports and exports. Two appendices follow the report: Appendix A is a note on sea-fishing in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , written by Lieutenant I. MacIvor, Assistant Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , giving details of the main fishing areas; times of year for sea-fishing; boats used in fishing; fishing methods; curing and preparation of fish; importance of turtles; and varieties of fish found in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and at Muscat, with a tabulated list of fish, alongside their (transliterated) Arabic and Persian names; numbers of boats and men involved in fishing; and quantities of fish caught in the Gulf and at Muscat. Appendix B comprises tabulated trade statistics, indicating the quantity and values of imports and exports in the region, lists of goods traded, nationality and tonnage of trading vessels.

4. Trade at Muscat , prepared by Miles, dated 27 May 1881 (folios 176-85), incorporating a general overview of trade, followed by a number of appendices comprising tabulated statistics for the average tonnage of vessels entering and leaving Muscat, imports and exports, value and description of goods.

Extent and format
1 volume (121 folios)
Arrangement

The report is arranged into a number of parts and sections, with tabulated statistical data directly following written sections as appendices. There is a contents page at the front of the report (folios 67-68), which refers to the report’s internal pagination sequence.

Physical characteristics

Condition: There is a small tear in folio 90. A number of pages (between folios 91 and 92) have been cut out of the volume.

Written in
English in Latin script
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‘Report on the Administration of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muscat Political Agency for the Year 1880-81’ [‎73r] (18/244), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/V/23/40, No 181, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023549644.0x000014> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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