File 3846/1910 'Mesopotamia: Baghdad affairs. Miscellaneous.' [‎198r] (404/536)

valued the Majidi, which contained 20 G. S. P., at 19 new piastres; and the British
rupee has fallen from over 31to29B. P. (4 B. P.=l G. S. P.), and the Persian
Qran from 9 to 8. The result is consequently a loss in converting Lirahs into
Turkish change and a depreciation of 5 or 6 per cent, in the value of foreign silver.
It remains to be seen whether market prices will adapt themselves to the new
piastre, or whether the new piastre will cause a permanent rise in retail prices.
The change hits the recipients of fixed salaries in gold or foreign silver very hard,
especially the poorer among them whose small purchases are all made in silver.
If it proves permanent it may become necessary to consider the question of com
pensation to the subordinate staff of this Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , the sepoy Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. guard, the crew
of the Comet, the Qawasses, and the menials.
The report* in the last Summary of the abolition of the Ihtisab tax at Baghdad
was apparently premature ; but on the
See last Summary, in, 3 . 22nd June a telegram was received from
Sasun (Deputy for Baghdad) and Mehdi (Deputy for Karbala) at Constantinople,
announcing that the abolition of the Ihtisab at Baghdad and Karbala, and of the
abnormal Shahriyaht tax at Karbala, had been decreed. Official orders for their
f See Pers. G. Gaz., Vo 1 . II, pages 859- cessation have not as yet reached the
860. Wilayat.
On the 4th June the Deputy Mehdi telegraphed from Constantinople that
the Turabiyah'l or Dafniyah tax on Shfah
X See Pers. G. Gaz., Vol. II, pages 859-860. interments at Najaf, Karbala and Kadhi-
main had been repealed, but only in favour of Ottoman subjects.
(17) On the 17th of June individual medical examination of passengers
by steamers from Basrah was* reiristi-
§ See last Summary v, si. tuted§ at Baghdad, in consequence of a fatal
case of bubonic plague at Basrah.
(18) The postage on newspapers in this province has been reduced
from 5 to 2 Paras.
YI.—Persian Affairs.
(1) It is now denied that any of the money subscribed at Karbala for the
T7T 0 National Loan Fund has been returned] | to
II See last Summary, , . the donors. I shall try to discover the
truth on my next visit to Karbala.
(2) On the 9th of June, Saiyid Mirza Abul Qasim, Imam Jum’eh (Tehrani),
and the Naib-us-Sadar (Zinjani), two Persian reactionary refugees who came to
Najaf about four months ago, were suddenly arrested by the Qaim-Maqam under
direct orders from the .ali of Baghdad. When I was last at Kufah the Imam
Jum’eh was living there m a tent, which he had pitched on an island in the Euphra
tes. The Imam Jum’eh succeeded in escaping in disguise to the Arabs, but he was
promptly recaptured : and both men are now under surveillance at Kadhimain, and
security has been taken from them that they will not endeavour to escape.
It is stated that their arrest was applied for by the Persian Government on
information supplied by ’Abdur Rahim of Baku, a Russian subject, who is an in
fluential member of the Anjuman-i-Haiat-i-’Ilmiyah, a society of Persian Constitu
tionalists at Najaf. According to another account the proceedings are due to a
complaint made by the Persian Anjuman-i-Sa’adat at Constantinople, that the men
were intriguing at Najaf against constitutional Government in Persia.
Mulla Kazim Khurasani, the notorious Najaf Mujtahid, has protested against
their arrest to the Persian Government and the Turkish A ali of Baghdad : by the
MU r he seems to have been curtly informed that the matter does not concern him.
It is said that Mulla Kazim has also requested the Russian Consul at Baghdad to
use bis influence for the release of the prisoners. The appearance of Mulla Kazim
as a champion of Persian reactionaries has occasioned some surprise and doubt ;
and the failure of his intervention has shaken his influence to some extent. The
Persian liberals of Najaf are divided into two camps; the Moderates (I’tidaliyin)