File 345/1908 Pt 2 'Mohammerah: situation. Sheikh's dispute with the Vali of Basra. decoration for Sheikh. renewed assurances to Sheikh.' [‎205v] (415/566)

if surrendered. I told him it might be extremely difficult for the sheikh, as an Arab,
to surrender either Chanan or Athbi, who were chiets of some of his most powerful
tribes, as such a surrender would be contrary to Arab customs and tribal rules. The
vali said Chanan was an Ottoman subject resident in Turkey, and even if he were not^
an Ottoman subject he was concerned in past troubles on the river. The Tur] f
hitherto had not been able to exact redress, but^ that time was over. The sheikh in
years past had frequently been asked to restrain his adherents from disturbing the
peace of the vilayet. He had not done so. As he protected these people and refused
to surrender them, the vali said he had no choice in the latter [sic] but to take his own
measures.
My impression is that the vali is acting on instructions from Constantinople, and
I hear that he wired after refusing the sheikh when the latter brought up Chanan to
Bussorah. I do not think anything fresh is contemplated at present, unless the sheikh
gives cause by raising his tribes and creating trouble. In that case the Turks might
move against Failieh or destroy some of the sheikh’s property in Bussorah. I notice
that they pulled down part of a new house which the sheikh is erecting on the Asshar
Creek, near the bridge, but they did not do much damage, and the proceedings were
stopped, I hear, by the vali in person. At the same time they pulled down part of
Khaderi’s new house (unfinished) a little lower down, but I do not attach much
importance to these incidents. The vali spontaneously told me that the sheikh’s house
at Failieh, which he called “ Persian yildiz,” was, strictly speaking, situated in Turkey,
according to the line of demarcation laid down by the commission. He seems to have
learnt this from Constantinople. The Turkish officials are childishly exultant over the
Zain affairs, and matter must rest awhile till they are cooler.
There have been no troubles on the river, as far as I know, except the recent affairs
at Ajariwieh and Minawai and Chibasi, but, according to my reports to the embassy,
there is a heavy cumulative record against Mohammerah from September 1908 to the
31st March, 1909, and most of the offenders were traceable to your district. Apart
from this, I have in previous years repeatedly called the attention of our Government to
the attitude of the sheikh in regard to river troubles generally, and to disturbances in
Bussorah in particular. On one occasion during the hunt for Glanville’s murderers in
1906 and 1907 representations were made at my instance to the sheikh through
Tehran. To the best of my recollection the sheikh took the matter lightly. My efforts
to get the sheikh to co-operate with the Turks and aid them to suppress lawlessness
have been unavailing. The day of reckoning seems to have come, and I think it is
high time the Turks took up the matter themselves. Their action may be arbitrary,
but if they have the force to carry it through—and I shall ask the embassy to press for
supply of proper means—it will, I am sure, in the end be salutary as far as this vilayet
is concerned.
Yours sincerely,
F. E. CROW.
Enclosure 10 in No. 1.
Acting Consul Wilson to Consul-General Cox.
My dear Colonel Cox, Mohammerah, April 30, 1910.
IN continuation of my letter No. 423 of even date, I enclose a copy of a demi-
official letter which I have just received from His Majesty’s consul, Bussorah, on the
subject of the trouble between the Sheikh of Mohammerah and the vali and my reply.
The departure of the vali to Bagdad is very fortunate and will minimise the likelihood
of any further troubles in the immediate future. The sheikh has assured me, through
Mirza Hamza, that he will take no measures of any kind which might be treated as
reprisals; this is in accordance with the advice I gave him in the first instance.
Mr. Crow’s letter, enclosed, refers to an interview that he had with Haji Mushir,
son of Haji Reis, at my suggestion. I did not, however, at any time mention the
question of guarantee for the sheikh’s Bussorah property and quite agree with Crow
that he should get it through the Persian Embassy or else from the vali.
I am probably going off to Khor Kuwairin to finish some more of the survey on
Sunday next, returning in time for the mail.
Yours sincerely,
A. T. WILSON.