Notes Prepared for Reference during Curzon’s Tour of the Persian Gulf, and Other Papers on Persia and the Persian Gulf [‎236v] (472/678)

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Upon returning to Tehran at the end of 1894, I was presented to His Majesty the
Shah, then the Yali Ahd, who was most cordial in his reception, owing to the Firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’).
Farma’s influence. .
During the summer of the following year His Highness was reappointed to Kerman,
and thenceforward my position as Consul was most enviable, as 1 merely had to express
my wishes for them to be carried out, while so evident was the friendship of His Highness
for Her Britannic Majesty’s Government, that all the district officials and local Chiefs
invariably came to see me when they visited Kerman, and told me that such were their
instructions. _
Furthermore, the fact that His Highness has invested a considerable sum ot money
in British securities means that he is hound to our side, as he cannot believe but that
Her Britannic Majesty’s Government would confiscate his property in England, were ne
to play us false. .
I will pass over the institution of bread tickets for the poor at Kerman, and move
on to the events connected with the recant Perso-Beluch Commission. _ .
Upon the presentation by Her Britannic Majesty’s Legation of a note summaiizmg
the previous correspondence on the subject and demanding a Commission, the Sadi
Azam wrote to the Firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). Farma attaching a copy of the note, and asked toi infor
mation.
This and all subsequent letters His Highness showed me requesting my assistance m
framing the replies.
In consequence, the Shah finally grasped the true facts of the case, which had been
grossly misrepresented, but yet His Majesty was not inclined to disburse the necessary
funds for a Commission, so that it appeared as if matters were at a deadlock.
Fortunately, however, at this juncture, a rumour was heard at Kerman to the effect
that the Mashkel date groves and even Talk was being raided by the Koasherwanis, and
of this the Firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). Farma took full advantage.
He wrote me a stiff official letter requesting me to stop these raids, that caused so
much loss to the subjects of His Imperial Majesty.
In reply, while deploring the facts, I pointed out that the sole remedy lay in having
n Commission.
Both letters were forwarded to Tehran, and produced such an effect upon the Shah
that he immediately agreed to the proposals of Her Britannic Majesty’s Legation.
Upon my appointment to the Commission some days after the Persian Representative
had left Kerman for the frontier, His Highness, at considerable inconvenience to himself,
provided me with all my transport, for which he declined to accept any payment.
At the same time he dispatched messengers to every stage along my route, so that I
found provisions and forage awaiting my arrival, and, as a result, the distance to Kohuk
of between 500 and 600 miles, was accomplished in forty days.
During the progress of the Commission, both the Representative of Persia, his
assistant, and the Governor of Beluchistan received frequent letters to the effect that
they should avoid showing any hostility to the proposals of the British Commissioner,
and, as a consequence, the demarcation was concluded in less than a month.
A reference to the pages of the Scistan Mission will show with what difficulty, and
at what cost, other sections of this frontier were defined, whereas in the present case
objections were only raised pro formd in order to satisfy the Governor of Beluchistan.
In conclusion, His Highness is now at Tehran, where, owing to the fact that he is
at once the son-indaw and the brother-in-law of the reigning Shah, his position is but
little inferior to that of the Sadr Azam.
In consequence, moreover, of his attachment to Her Britannic Majesty’s Government,
the Legation can obtain much useful information, together with that personal support
that is of the highest importance in the case of the present Shah.
His Highness’ greatest ambition is to receive an English decoration, and I venture
to hope that the foregoing account of his services may prove that he has merited some
such special mark of Her Majesty’s favour.
I have, &c.
(Signed) P. MOLESWORTH SYKES.