File 3893/1912 'Persia: Bakhtiari Khans and the Lynch Road; Bakhtiari-Mohammerah relations' [‎36r] (76/308)

No. 1416, dated Bushire, the 4th (received 12th) May 1913.
From— Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Cox, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency.
in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department, Simla.
In continuation of my letter No. 1344, dated 27th April 1913, I have the
honour to forward, for the information of the Government of India, a copy of the
Te'egram from His Majesty’s Minister, Tehran, marginally Cited telegram which has Since
to the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , been received from His Maiestv’s Minister
7 _ y 0 at lehran, m connection with the situation
in Arabistan and the Mohammerah-Bakhtiari negotiations.
2. In my letter No. 1213 *3th April, I touched upon the difficulty of our,
position in the face of the conflict of interests involved, and I think the Minister’s*
present telegram will serve to bear out my observations.
3. Incidentally I may mention that I am now under instructions to negotiate
a suitable agreement between the Shaikh of Mohammerah and the Oil Company
in connection with their desire to start boring operations in his territory. I have
every prospect of having to undertake those negotiations handicapped by the
attitude of the Bakhtiari Khans in Tehran in regard to the Jarrahi lands, as
described by His Majesty’s Minister, and by the necessity to communicate to
the Shaikh, Hakki Pasha’s reservation (in the Turco-Persian Frontier negotia
tions) regarding the Khaiyin lands, which we have allowed to stand.
The price paid for the Jarrahi lands by the Bakhtiaris was 15,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. ;
the price given to them by the Shaikh, in the bargain with the Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. -i-Jang,
was double that. In addition he has had the expense of keeping up a large
standing force for several weeks.
Telegram P., No. 172,‘dated and (received) 25 th April 1913.
From—His Majesty’s Minister, Tehran,
To—The Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
With reference to your telegram No. 216-747. The general outlines to the f
arrangement between the Shaikh and Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Jang has become known to the
Khans, and they have, as I anticipated, made a formal protest against it, declar
ing that it is not valid and that they will not accept it because no authority was
possessed by Jang to enter into an agreement including the settlement of the
Aqili claims and the sale of the Jarrahi lands.
Reference is invited by you to a despatch of mine, but that despatch con
cerned a special arrangement made by Rahim Khan which was not accepted by
Jang, and the nature of the correspondence which has passed subsequently has
been such as to supersede their previous statement that they were willing to abide
by any arrangement upon which Jang might decide on these questions. His
authority to do this without reference to Tehran has always been denied by the
Khans, and, as far as I know he has never been authorised by them to do more
than renew the lease to the Shaikh for a further period of three years.
I think I made it quite clear in my telegram No. 110, dated March 17th
that the most the Khans could be induced to do was to agree that the sale of the
lands should be negotiated, but that it was insisted that the negotiations should
take place here and that the lowest price that they would accept was 80,000
tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. .
Full details of the agreement and Jang’s explanation of his conduct must
now be awaited. At the present moment the Khans are very excited and use
most threatening language, but I will do my best to make them carry out the
bargain. Some consideration has to be shown to them, and they are a more
important factor up here than perhaps is realised by you. At the present time
they alone, for instance, are in a position to furnish a force which may be required
in the near future as a new rebellion under Salar-ed-Dowleh may have to be
quelled.
C71FD— 44 —15-5-13 -GCBP Simla