'BRITISH RELATIONS WITH KHAZAL, SHEIKH OF MOHAMMERAH.' [‎10v] (20/24)

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in divesting themselves of all future responsibility under the
assurances in so far as they related to Persia;
(b) it was true that the assurances spoke of the Sheikh’s successors, but
there was no successor to the Sheikh in the position which he held
when the assurances were given;
(c) the assurances referred to the nomination of successors by the Sheikh,
and consultation with and approval by His Majesty’s Government
was provided for : but so far as was known, the Sheikh did not
nominate a successor and there was certainly no consultation with
His Majesty’s Government in the matter:
(d) if Sheikh Chassib, as the eldest son. regarded himself as the successor,
he could hardly say that he had been guided by the advice of His
Majesty’s Government and had maintained an attitude satisfactory
to that Government.
Mr. Lascelles was therefore told that, in any dealings with Sheikh Chassib,
His Majesty’s Legation should act on the assumption that His Majesty’s Govern
ment were no longer bound by any assurances in respect of Sheikh Khazal himself
or his family; this would not preclude His Majesty’s Legation from using their
good offices on behalf of the family when this might appear desirable or expedient,
but it should be understood by all concerned that any action taken in this sense
would be as a matter of grace and not of obligation.
HUGH K. GREY.
Foreign Office, October 1946.
ANNEX.
Texts of British Assurances to the Sheikh of Mohammerah, 1902-14.
No. 1.
Sir A. Hardinge to the Sheikh.
(After compliments.) 1th December, 1902.
I write to inform you, my honoured friend, of my return to Tehran from
Europe and to enquire after your health.
It was a great disappointment to me that I was unable to visit you this
spring, but, as you know, I was obliged to go to England instead. I hope, however,
that it may be possible for me at no distant date to have the pleasure of making
your personal acquaintance.
I was very glad to hear from Hajji Reis-ut-Tujjar of the satisfactory
arrangement concluded between you and the Department of Customs. On general
grounds of policy it is very desirable that differences should as far as possible
be avoided between the Persian authorities and the Arab tribes under your rule.
The relations between the British and Persian Governments are of a friendly
character, and the preservation of the integrity and independence of the Persian
monarchy has for many years been one of the great objects of British policy in
this part of the world. Disturbances of a nature to imperil that object would
be a serious evil, and you would gain little and might endanger much by throwing
off the sovereignty of the Shah. I am convinced that, under the present circunu
stances, the Arabs, and yourself as their ruler, have every interest in cultivating-
good and loyal relations with the Government of Tehran, and that the latter has
no desire to oppress you or curtail your authority. For this reason I think you
acted wisely in giving up all idea of forcible resistance to the establishment of a
custom-house, and in seeking rather to come, as I have from the first urged you to
do, to a friendly understanding on the subject with the Customs Administration.
a ,n 1 Reis-ut-Tujjar asked me on your behalf to what extent you might rely
on the protection of the British Government, and I told him that so long as you
behaved to us as you have done in the past, in a friendly manner, our influence
would be exerted here to maintain you and your tribes in the enjoyment of your
hereditary rights and customs, and to dissuade the Government of Tehran from
any endeavour to diminish or interfere with them. Hajji Reis thereunon said
that you were not afraid of the Persian Government itself, nor of attack by