File 345/1908 Pt 2 'Mohammerah: situation. Sheikh's dispute with the Vali of Basra. decoration for Sheikh. renewed assurances to Sheikh.' [‎205r] (414/566)

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He should do nothing to give the Turks an excuse for further aggressive action,
and should be conciliatory. He should consult His Majesty’s consul at Bussorah before
acting. His Majesty’s consul at Bussorah reports that Turks are shortly bringing out
wo more gun-boats.
(Copy by post to Bussorah.)
Enclosure 8 in No. 1.
Acting Consul Wilson to Consul-General Cox.
(No. 4-3.) Mohammerah, April 30, 1910.
I HAVE the honour to forward copies of correspondence on the subject of the action
of the Turks vis-d-vis the Sheikh of Mohammerah, in continuation of my letter ot the
27th 2 AP I beg 9 to offer the following comments on Mr. Crow’s despatch No. 46 of the
27^1^ April •
3 . The evidence that is available here tends to show that Muhammad Chanan is,
according to international law, a Persian subject. , , .
4. Although it is no doubt true that the Turks have not been able to exact redress
in the past, it is equally true for the same reason, they have been wholly unable to keep
order on their side of the river and in Bussorah, and the sheikh has had frequent cause
to complain of this. It has always been a convenient excuse for the Turkish subordinate
officials to report that the criminal in question had fled to Mohammerah ; vt is known
that facilities for so doing were not infrequently afforded them by the said ofhcia s. _
5 . The question of the frontier, so far as it affects Eaiheh, raised by the vah, is
dealt with in mv letter to you No. 255 of the 12th March, 1910.
6 Minawi and Ajariwieh (mentioned in His Majesty’s consul s Bussorah, despatch
No 22 of the 23rd April) are in Turkish territory, close to Bussorah, and there is not I
believe, the slightest evidence beyond the interested assertions of the Bussorah police co
show that the crimes there are in any way connected with Mohammerah. Mirza amza
assures me most definitely that the murderer is at present in Turkish territory m Diaji,
and that the Bussorah police are afraid to apprehend them.
7 The case of Mohamed Mishri, also mentioned in the despatch above quoted, has
another aspect. The removal of “ fellahs Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. in the usual way ’’ is a euphemism for an
attempt on the part of the Turks to oust the tenants of certain lands (alleged to be
Persian subjects) without reference to the Turkish courts of law, m favour of the
Turkish owner. It is not stated who gave the message to the Tabur Agassi that Mishi
would be killed in the same way as Chelmeran, if the arrest of Muhammad Chanan were
insisted on. It is strenuously denied here, and seems inherently improbable that
Muhammad Chanan, or his men, would have been so foolish to utter such a threat to
fifteen armed gendarmes on Turkish soil. The story is not unlikely to be a fabrication
on the part of Turkish subordinate officials with the object of causing trouble between
th6 S 8 6 The vali demands that Muhammad Chanan be handed over, and his refusal to
even discuss the matter with Sheikh Khazal seems to be arbitrary and unjustifiable-
As headman and hereditary leader of one of the sheikh’s tribes, it is impossible for the
sheikh to hand him over to the vali without incurring the hostility of a powerful section
of the tribes who uphold him.
I have, &c.
A. T. WILSON, Lieutenant, I.A.
Enclosure 9 in No. 1.
Consul Crow to Acting Consul Wilson.
My 0 dtai^ Wilson, Bus Wi, April 27, 1910
I HAVE your letter of this evening. A list of about twenty-five people was sent
to the sheikh,” giving names of persons wanted for various matters connected with
The vali could not tell me anything against Haji Athbi, and did not seem to know
the name, but said that the cases of the persons asked for would be dealt with judicially
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