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‘Administration Report on the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Maskat Political Agency for 1895-96’ [‎260r] (14/92)

The record is made up of 1 volume (43 folios). It was created in 1896. 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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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 MASEAT POLITICAL AGENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. EOR THE YEAH 1895-96. 7
clear orders, but it gradually became apparent that the cause of the malcontents
gained ground, iirst the Hamal Bashi, who had been allowed to draw into his
own hand altogether too many functions and too much power, and who had
become the object of very general resentment, suddenly fled, and this was followed
early in March by the resignation by the Kowam-ul-Mulk of the Governorship
a fortnight before the Vernal equinox from which all changes and new appoint
ments in Persia date. Temporary and imperfect arrangements for the divided
control of public affairs were somewhat tardily made, but these nevertheless
owing to the fact that the popular party was ^ in the ascendant, sufficed to
maintain order.
Haji Mirza Abdullah Khan, who had long been Karguzar, and had also
latterly held the Deputy Governorship of Bushire, died in June 1895.
During the year under report Shiraz has not been exempt from the evils
from which it lias suffered in late years—the results both of natural causes and
maladministration. The oft repeated tale has continued throughout the year
of disorder, plunder, and the laying waste of cultivation by various sections of
the nomads; of general lawlessness, resistence to authority, and risings against
petty local Governors; of attacks by one tribe on another, and of punitive
expeditions or raids directed by the authorities to recover revenue or to coerce
the refractory. The Kushkais generally and the Yekdar section of that tribe in
particular were prominent in disorder. In October an arrangement, in the
usual spirit of Persian dealings with the nomads, was reported to have been
arrived at with the lawless tribe, and appears to have taken the form of a com
promise of the terms of revenue to be paid, and the presentation of a khillat.
The Baharloos also have been very turbulent. An expedition for the
arrest of one of the leaders was sent under the conduct of another chief of the
same tribe in May ; there was a collision between the parties, and immediately
afterwards it was reported that orders from the Central Government for assur
ances of safety to the leader whom it was sought to arrest had been received.
A little later the leader of the arresting expedition himself fled, and, assuming
open hostility, took to pillage and violence.
An example of the lengths to which, under the method of the Govern
ment, arbitrary violence under the guise of authority can proceed, appears in
the measures for the arrest of an offender of the Soorkhi tribe. The Command
er of the Governor's bodyguard being sent on this duty was reported to have
attacked the people of the tribe, and indiscriminately plundered their property
to a. very large amount, thus driving them into outlawry.
A case of oppression of a Russian (Shirwani) subject called forth a most
vigorous remonstrance from that Government, with the result that the Ferrash
Bashi who had seized and beaten him in enforcing a demand for taxes was
sent with the usual apparatus to the house of the victim, and only escaped
severe public punishment by the grace of the outraged party on an ample
apology being made by two high officials.
Some insecurity prevailed on the road near Shiraz and towards Ispahan.
In June the courier with legation despatches for Bushire was shot by robbers;
he finally recovered. The Persian post was three times attacked towards Ispahan,
parcels to a large amount being plundered, and the posthorses were carried
off close to Shiraz.
Locusts appeared in spring and complaints of their ravages near Shiraz
and in other parts of the province continued till July.
The districts included in the Governorship of Bushire and the Gulf ports
were not free from disorder. In Dashtistan an attempt to transfer the sole
charge of a tract to one of the two chiefs who had hitherto shared it, was resisted
by the other, Ahmed Khan, who shot his rival dead. A punitive expedi
tion was then organised under instructions from the capital, a detachment
with a small naval gun being sent out. Ahmed Khan being joined by some
of the people of Tangistan and Shabankara was able to maintain his resistance,
till a small reinforcement was despatched, and at the same time, orders to
effect an amicable settlement. He was then induced to present himself at
:i I
111 I

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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. 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 Maskat [Muscat] Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. for 1895-96, published by the Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, India (Calcutta), forming part of Selections from the Records of the Government of India, Foreign Department, and based on reports sent to Government by the 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. and the 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. at Muscat.

The report is divided up into a number of sections and subsections, as follows:

Part 1 , is a General Summary (folios 257-261) written by Colonel Frederick Alexander Wilson, 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. , that provides a summary of regional developments during the previous year and is divided up as follows:

1. Oman Maskat Coast

2. Oman Pirate Coast

3. Bahrain

4. Nejd

5. El Hasa

6. Persian Arabistan

7. Fars and Persian Coast

8. Persian Baluchistan

9. Slave Trade

10. Piracy

11. Royal Navy

12. Official Changes

13. Observatory

Appendix A to part 1 (folio 262) contains the following two tables:

Table No. 1 - Table showing the force and prevailing directions of wind and recorded rainfall at Bushire for the year 1895-96.

Table No. 2 - Abstract of meteorological observations for the year ending 31st March 1896 taken at 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. Observatory, Bushire.

Part 2 , is an Administration Report of the Maskat Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. for the year 1895-96 (folios 263-264). The report is written by Captain Francis Granville Beville, 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, Maskat and provides a summary of developments in Maskat during the previous year.

Part 3 , is a Report on the trade and commerce of the consular district of Bushire for the year 1895 (folios 265-266). The report is written by Colonel Frederick Alexander Wilson, 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. , Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and provides a summary of trade developments during the previous year. It is followed by Appendix A (folios 267-281) which contains a series of 25 statistics tables related to several aspects of trade in and around the port of Bushire during the previous year.

Part 4 , is a Maskat Trade Report (folios 282-293) written by Captain Francis Granville Beville, 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, Maskat. The report contains a series of statistics tables related to trade to/from Maskat during the previous year.

Part 5 , is a Report on the trade and commerce of Mohammerah for the year 1895 (folio 294). Appendix A (folios 295-297), that follows the report, contains a series of statistics tables related to trade to/from Mohammerah during the previous year.

Extent and format
1 volume (43 folios)
Arrangement

The report is arranged into a number of sections and subsections, with statistic data in tabular format directly following written sections. There is a contents page at the front of the report (folio 256) which list the report's contents.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: There is a foliation sequence, which is circled in pencil, in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. It begins on the first folio, on number 255, and ends on the last folio, on number 297.

Pagination: The volume contains an original typed pagination sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
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‘Administration Report on the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Maskat Political Agency for 1895-96’ [‎260r] (14/92), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/V/23/69, No 338, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023848400.0x00000d> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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