Reports and Correspondence Relating to Persia, Including Trade and Trade Routes in Persia [‎103r] (205/252)

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Diary Mo. 8 of Major R. A. E. Benn, His Britannic Majesty’s Vice-
Consul tor Seistan for period ending 1st to 15th May 1901.
The past fortnight has been worked by a decided attempt on the part of ^
the Russian Vice-Consul to carry through a scheme which had for its triple
object the interruption of our friendly relations with the Amir Hashmat-ul-Mulk,
the destruction of our prestige and as a sequel to the above the downfall of the
Amir himself. Mr. Miller had taken the advantage of my absence on tour to
work upon the Amir to put obstructions in the way of our building and in other
ways to molest our traders. The tirst indications of the effect of this process of
intimidation became apparent soon after my return to Nasratabad. Mahomad
Hayat, a British trader, had purchased for 500 krans a piece of ground in the
city on which were standing the walls of a disused house. On 2nd May he
began repairing the walls; but was immediately stopped and ordered to quit by
one of the Amir's Sultans. I have already reported in a previous diary that Seth
Suleiman, Agent of Messrs. Mahomad Ali Brothers, had in the same way been
prevented from completing the roofing of one of his houses in the city.
On 4th May I paid a private visit to the Amir. In the course of conversa
tion 1 remarked that 1 thought his friendly feelings towards us must be on the
wane, as signs were not wanting that beseemed to be less amicably disposed
towards us. I pointed out the recent ill-treatment of a British subject from
Peshawar who had been beaten by one of his own gunners, the refusal to allow
Mahomad Hayat to* build on ground that had been sold to him, the case of
Seth Suleiman’s house, etc. The Amir denied that his friendliness towards us
had in any way diminished, and said that he could on no account allow us to
purchase land and build on it either inside or outside the city without first obtain
ing the permission of his Government. I argued that he had already given
permission to Seth Suleiman last year to build, and that he was also aware of the
fact when tne sale of land to Mahomad Hayat was taking place. Alsp that the
Russian Vice-Consul had recently been permitted to build on land which he had
bought.
To all my arguments he replied that, until he received explicit orders from
Teheran, he could not allow us to continue our building. After considerable dis
cussion he concluded by drawing his chair towards mine and with a significant nod
in the direction of the Russian Vice-Consulate said that “ our acquaintance
over the way ” was still writing such exaggerated reports about himself and us
and was pressing him so hard that he was really afraid to allow us to run on un
checked, etc. But I pointed out that in treating us in this way the prestige of the
British Government was suffering, and that the recent ill-treatment of British
subjects was the talk of the bazaar. I told him I should hold him responsible
for it. He finally promised that no obstruction should be offered to us outside
the city, and that he would find a suitable house for Mahomad Hayat on hire
inside the city.
The following day I received a petition from the British trading community
in Nasratabad begging for permission to build shops for their goods which were
lying in the open and liable to damage from exposure. The petitioners stated that
they 5 had been unable to obtain suitable houses on hire inside the city. This
was quite possible for every house in the fort which is not already occupied
is in ruins. Messrs. Tek Chand & Co., being Hindus, washed also to build a
house and godown in Trenchabad. I sent their petitions to the Amir by my head
clerk, Gul Mahomad Khan, with a letter expressing the hope that, under the
circumstances and in accordance with his promise of the day before, he w^ould
allow the petitioners to build, or find a shelter for their goods. I pointed out
that by Treaty he was bound to do this. The Amir returned the petitions wfith
a reply that he could not allow any building, but that he would “ do his best
for us.” He mentioned verbally to Gul Mahomad Khan that he possessed no
copy of the Treaty. This was unsatisfactory, and I paid a second private visit
to the Amir in the evening. 1 impressed on him the necessity, for his owm sake,