File 1421/1908 Pt 4 'Persia: oil; Anglo-Persian Oil Co and Bakhtiaris' [‎126r] (109/292)

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government.]
PERSIA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[June 12.]
\ v
Section 3.
2 ir JUN1911
[22645]
No. 1.
Sir G. Lowther to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received June 12.)
(No. 398.
Sir, Constantinople, June 7, 1911.
WITH reference to your despatch No. 150 of the 30th May last, relative to an
attack in a Bussorah newspaper on the employes of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, I
have the honour to report that the article, of which a translation is enclosed in your
despatch, had already been sent to me by His Majesty’s consul at Bussorah.
I mentioned the matter at the time in conversation with the Minister for Foreign
Affairs, but his Excellency merely replied that too much importance need not be given
to an irresponsible press, and it appeared to me unnecessary to press the matter
further, for it is practically impossible to get any satisfaction in these questions, and
the probable result of any attempt to do so is a repetition of the offence in a more
aggravated form.
The fact is that, except in the capital, the Government has very little power of
control over the press, as is shown by the fact that my representations concerning the
open letter to His Majesty the King, referred to in my despatch No. 378 of the
15th June, 1910, remained without result, and by the failure of the action recently
brought by the Russian consul-general in Salonica against the responsible editor of the
“ Silah,” a Salonica journal, for a most violent attack on the Russian Government.
The editor was acquitted, and the verdict was made the occasion of an outburst of
popular applause.
An extract from the “ Jeune Turc ” of the 6 th instant, giving the grounds for the
verdict, is enclosed herewith.
Another significant incident occurred on the 4th instant at Monastir, where
various local journals have been publishing inflammatory and anti-foreign articles.
Instructions were sent to the Public Prosecutor of that town to proceed against these
papers, but before he could take any action he was assassinated in the open street in
broad daylight.
Such being the relations of the Government and the press in this country, I venture
to think that nothing is to be gained by trying to give effect to the complaint of the
Anglo-Persian Oil Company.
I have, &c.
GERARD LOWTHER.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Newspaper Extract.
Le Proces du “ Silah ” : Tahsine Bey acquitte.
LE proces intente par PAmbassadeur de Russie a Constantinople, au journal
“ Silah ” de Salonique a eu lieu dimanche apres-midi. Apres avoir entendu 1’avocat
de la defense, Djelal Derviche Bey, le tribunal, considerant que Particle de tete du
journal “Silah” du 10 avril (v.s.) ne contenait aucune phrase injurieuse pour les
personnes du Tsar et de M. Tcharykoff et ne constituait qu’une critique de la situation
resultant des idees et des opinions de Tahsine Bey, redacteur en chef du journal, s’est
prononce pour le rejet de la demande du procureur general, Zihni Bey, et Pacquittement
de Tahsine Bey.
La decision du tribunal a ete apprise avec une grande joie par la foule enorme
qui remplissait la salle, les couloirs et la rue. Les cris de “ Vive la justice ! ” “ Vive
le gouvernement constitutionnel! ” retentissaient de toutes parts.
Parlant du proces du “ Silah ” le journal “ Roumelie ” ecrit:—
“ Apres Pexamen des . pieces du proces, Tahsine Bey a declare que les phrases
qu’on montrait comme atteignant la personne du Tsar n’etaient nullement adress 6 es a
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