File 3893/1912 'Persia: Bakhtiari Khans and the Lynch Road; Bakhtiari-Mohammerah relations' [‎74r] (152/308)

[11026] No. 1.
Sir W. Townley to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received March 10.)
(No. 37.)
gi r? Tehran, February 16, 1913.
AS was tlie case last year, the relations between the Bakhtiaris and the Sheikh of
Mohammerah are again causing some uneasiness. 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 is reported to be'at
Malamir breathing warlike menaces at the head of a considerable iorce, whilst the
sheikh is at Nasiri, determined, it is said, to repel any hostile Bakhtiari inroad. The
khans here maintain that the force assembled at Malamir is intended to support the
Governor of Behbehan in punitive measures to be directed against the Ivuhgeluis, and
that there is no intention of taking any steps of a hostile nature towards the sheikh,
but there is some reason to believe that the assurances given here do not, or did not,
tally with the instructions sent to 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.
The cause of the present quarrel is the possession of certain lands known as the
Jarrahi lands that the khans acquired from Mushir-ed-Dowleh last summer, despite an
agreement made with the sheikh in 1908, under which it was arranged that the sheikh
alone could purchase these lands, which are clearly in the Arab country. The breach
of the 1908 agreement is not so serious as it would have been, had not both parties
to it already broken every one of its articles. The Jarrahi lands are divided up into
two sections, one belonging to Nizam-es-Sultaneh and the other until recently to
Mushir-ed-Dowleh. The sheikh holds the Nizam’s lands on a mortgage, called a
friendly arrangement, and he has for some years held the Mushir’s lands on lease.
The Bakhtiaris clearly acquired the lands for the sole purpose of selling them at a
high price to the sheikh, who offered the Mushir-ed-Dowleh 10,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , say 2,000b,
for them about three years ago, in the confident belief that no one else could or would
buy them. Last year however the Bakhtiaris came forward with an offer of lo,000
tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , say 3,000Z., which the Mushir accepted. Having bought the lands, the
Bakhtiaris have had to bluff to send up the price. To do so, they have threatened to
take forcible possession of the lands, with the result that the sheikh, has collected a
small army to oppose them, and announces his intention of fighting. I have been
endeavouring for some time to induce the khans to sell the land to the sheikh, but the
former ask too much and the latter offers too little. Meanwhile, the people of Arabistan
and the representatives of British interests in those parts are consideralDly alarmed lest
a struggle should ensue.
I have warned the khans that they will incur the grave displeasure of His Majesty’s
Government if there is any breach of the peace, and 1 have hinted that we might mark
our displeasure by seeking the removal from their offices of certain Bakhtiari
governors. The last phase of the question was the recent dispatch of a^ telegram by
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. Assad to 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 ordering him to lease the lands to the sheikh for three
years. I am personally convinced that the Bakhtiaris have no intention of fighting,
but in their eagerness to bluff the sheikh into giving them a good price for the lands
they have created an anxious situation which it will take some time to calm down.
Another question in dispute between the parties is the amount of compensation
that the sheikh should pay for damage done to Bakhtiari property at Akili, ne ^ r
Shustar, last spring when the sheikh’s Arabs captured that place and pillaged the
villages of Akili. The sheikh claims that no compensation is due from him, because he
occupied Shustar under instructions from the Persian Government.
When both parties Lave realised that the one does not mean to fight unless he is
attacked, and that the other has no real intention of attacking, it may be possible for
His Majesty’s consular officers on the spot to assist in the settlement ol their differences
by means of an arrangement acceptable to both. _ .
I have repeatedly spoken to the khans here most seriously upon this subject, and
I have impressed upon them that there must on no account be any breach of the peace.
It is most difficult to argue with them, because the one always endeavours to shift the
responsibility on to another, whilst all profess such deep affection for Great Britain and
such readiness to take immediate steps to carry out my wishes, so that nothing may be
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