File 345/1908 Pt 1 'Mohammerah: situation. British assurances to Sheikh.' [‎152r] (308/416)

and would have me understand that they had made some progress in them, and
that the Sheikh had indicated that he shared their feelings and aspirations. It
was proposed to have a personal meeting with him in order to bring matters to
a practical issue in the form of a treaty or convention, and for this purpose they
intended to shortly pay a visit to Nasiri. There they would exchange written
undertakings with the Sheikh, which they would ask me to guarantee. Their
ambition was to attain the position of ^ttflsi'-independent protectorates, of which
they cited Maskat and Koweit as examples, and with this end in view they were
prepared to accept our sovereignty, paying their revenues to us^ and putting
their population at our disposal for military training. They recognised that their
agreements among themselves lacked stability, and they would look to us to
enforce on both sides the observance of their treaty with the Sheikh.
3. Previously, and in my absence, the Shahab had begged my Mirza to
gain my adherence to their project, and professed the Khans’ willingness to
furnish us with all necessary signed agreements. My Mirza expressed himself
doubtful of my attaching much weight to their signed undertakings, gently re
minding the Shahab that the seal on the document which he had handed me
at Kima last March was yet scarcely dry. This silenced the Shahab, who did
not want the Salar’s curiosity aroused regarding that episode in his past career.
4. In the course of the conversation the Salar remarked that they had
some 40,000 subjects capable of bearing arms, but of these only some 10,000
were provided with fire-arms. This estimate, I may observe, is the most sane
statement of the fighting strength of the Bakhtyari tribes which I have yet had
made to me. The Salar also said that some British representative (Colonel
Douglas in 1904 ? ) had approached them on the subject of raising and training
forces in their country. At that time they were not prepared to favour such
a step, but that their feelings had undergone a change, and that now they were
anxious for it. Let us now play up to our own proposals.
5. I answered very briefly that I was unable personally to make them
any reply, but that I would lay their proposals before my Government. I also
stated that their proposals appeared to me to involve issues of great magnitude,
and of such a nature that our engagements with Persia and other powers would
make it very difficult for us to accept any part in them.
6. The short time at my command and my unwillingness to display too
great interest in the subversive projects of the Khans, prevented me from
attempting to draw from them a more detailed statement of the precise course
of action they have in view, and of the means and methods which they propose
to employ.
I can therefore only communicate the above prdcis of what passed between
us. This I do merely for the information of Government.
I do not propose to offer any comments on a subject which stands to be
judged on general and not local grounds, but I may remark that I question the
probability of Sheikh Khazal’s committing himself in the way desired by the
Khans, though he may, to gain fugitive objects, discuss the matter with them
with apparent seriousness. I would also point out that, if rejected in their full
scope, the avowed desires of the Khans might possibly still be taken advantage
of in part, as a means of attaining the aims which Government held in 1904 as
regards the raising of Militia under our control among the Bakhtyaris and the
tribes of Western Luristan.
7. In the event of the Khans carrying out their projected visit to Nasiri
and meeting with the Sheikh, their proposals are likely to be presented to me
in a more concrete and urgent form by themselves, and possibly by the Sheikh,
I should wish to be furnished with instructions regarding the attitude which I
should observe, before such a contingency arises.
G. C. B. P., Simla.—No. C -625 F. D.— 1163 —F. A- D’S.