File 6/1912 Part 1 'Persia: Shiraz affairs; attack on Mr Smart; Swedish gendarmerie' [‎401r] (295/472)

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In Mosul an attempt was also made to foim a branch of the “ Moderate Liberal
Club” the chief movers in this enterprise being Daoud Youssethane, the Roman
Catholic Chaldean deputy for Mosul, Reshid Etfendi Omarizade and Asuf Effendi,
acting kaimakam of Akra and editor of the reactionary ‘‘Nijah ” newspaper. The
o+tpmnt failed owing to the apparently unanimous opposition of the army and the
influence tactfully everted against it by the vali.
Tiari Expedition.
The Jelki tribe of Kurds having attacked some Christian shepherds who were
beino- escorted by zaptiehs, and having killed seven Christians, wounded two of the
escort and carried off the sheep, a small expeditionary force, consisting of the
2 nd battalion of the 105th Regiment, was dispatched from Mosul to the-region of
Tiari to punish the offenders. .
The expedition returned to Mosul at the beginning of October, having done little
more than demonstrate the impotence of the authorities, only a very small number of
the sheep having been recovered and the murderers left unpunished.
The Shammar Arabs.
The Shammar tribe continued to give trouble, and several cases of plundering were
reported against them. There is a growing feeling that this tribe, commanding as it
does all the roads west of the Tigris, is likely to become more and more turbulent until
some step is taken by the authorities to dissipate the impression of weakness conveyed
by the fruitless expedition against it undertaken by Nazim Pasha’s orders early in the
present year. No signs, however, of any activity on the part of the local authorities
were to be observed. J ... x , , ,,
Though most of the outrages committed are generally attributed to the bhammars,
it is likely^that the real authors are in many instances gangs of Turkomans m league
with certain notables of Mosul.
Neiv Vali of Bussorah.
Hassan Kiza Bey, the new vali, arrived in Bussorah on the 20th September His
Majesty’s consul reports that he gives the impression of being a reasonable and
enlightened man.
Disturbances on the Lower Euphrates and Tigris.
His Maiesty’s consul at Bussorah reported in September that a feeling of
insecurity and restlessness prevailed m Bussorah owing to the disturbed state of the
rivers. In view of this state of affairs, His Majesty s consul suggested that a ^ritis i
gun-boat should be sent to patrol the Shat-el-Arab. His Majesty s ship Odm was
dispatched, and arrived at Mohammerah about the 20th September to patrol the
river between that place and Eao. Thanks to this precaution, no cases of piracy have
occurred.
Anti-Italian Demonstration at Bussorah.
A public meeting was convened for the 27th October to protest against Italian
action in Tripoli. The meeting was held outside the town, but was sparsely attended,
those present being unarmed. Speeches were made, but aroused no great enthusiasm,
and the collection only resulted in the subscription of £ I. 15.
Proclamation by Mujtehed of Nejef of Holy War against Russia, England,
and Italy.
Seyyid Mahomet Kazim Yezdi, Mujtehed pf Nejefl issued a f olTmg
beginning of December proclaiming a holy war against Russia, Bngland, a y.
“ fetva,” which was said to have been forcibly extorted from e hed by the
Kaimakam of Nejef, was exhibited p the sh^^ fro m meddling with
were sent into Persia. The mujtehed had hunt • ’Ti 1P
politics, and consequently this “fetva” produced all the ,^ “ “o 1 p r ss and
kaimakam, who is a prominent member of the ^ i i summoned to
was reputed to be of more authority than the Yah of ^ “t he ™
Bagdad and charged with obtaining the “fetva” by force. It seems clear ,hat .as