File 1749/1921 ‘Persian Gulf:- Residency news summaries 1921-25’ [‎235r] (484/494)

CONFIDENTIAL SUMMARY OF NEWS RECEIVED BY HIS
MAJESTY’S POLITICAL 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. IN . THE PERSIAN
GULF FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 1921.
Persia.
Mohammerah.—Hzli Rais spent a few days in Basrah at the beginning
of the month. He has again started to do commercial and other busmess in
spite of doctor’s advice not to do any work of a worrying nature.
Ain-ul-Mulk, Persian Consul-General for Damascus, arrived at Mobam-
merah from Tehran about the 18th December, and after a few days’ stay
proceeded to Bombay en route to his destination.
On the 9th and 10th instants there was a rumour in the town that the
Imperial Bank of Persia were going to close their offices in Persia, owing
to the non-ratification of the Anglo-Persian Agreement by the Persian
Government.
The British post office of Mohamraerah now accepts telegrams in verna
cular, i.e., Persian and Arabic, for Mesopotamia and Arahistan.
The Sheikh denies having accepted the “ Mishrif ” as a present from
Sheikh Salim. The Sheikh had purchased the “ Ivy ” prior to Sheikh Salim’s
offer, which therefore was not accepted.
Sheikh Chassib has bought a river steamer, H. P. 3, from the Inland
Wat^r Transport, Basrah ; he received the vess •! at a very small price. He
intends to use her as a house boat as he considers it more suitable for him
than his present house.
The Grave Registration Unit of Basrah has visited Mohammerah with
the object of exhuming the remains of Naval and Military officers and men
who were killed in the war, and removing their remains for burial at Basrah.
His Majesty’s Consul objected to the removal of the remains of the late
Captain Birdwood of the Political Department pending the High Commis
sioner’s sanction.
The Khazaliyeh school, at present under the supervision of His Majesty’s
Consul, has recently opened a night class for the grown up boys and business
men.
Dfc/bl.-—The Deputy Governor, Mirza Ali Akbar Khan, appears to be
carrying out his duties quite satisfactorily. He does not, however, seem to
he very intelligent and frequently seeks advice from His Majesty’s Vice-
Consul.
The condition of the town and district is satisfactory, and all roads are
safe. Hassan Papi, a renowned thief, together with his brother was captured
on the 26th instant by a party of Qarasuran and Consulate sowars. This man
has for the last three years systematically robbed small caravans in the
vicinity of the Dizful-Shushtar road and in the district of Sar Besheh success
fully avoiding capture.
Two rather suspicious characters arrived in Dizful about the middle of
the month. One of them, named Sayar-ul-Mulk, stated that he was travell
ing under the orders of the Persian Government, and intended visiting the
Sheikh of Mohammerah and then making his way to Shiraz via Behbehan
and Bushire ; he appeared to be a most intelligent man, although disguised as
a dervish, and was well acquainted with the news concerning the Bolsheviks,
Afghanistan and Bokhara. The other was a Russian from Tiflis who had
become a Muhammadan, and stated that he was on his way to Kerbela. Both
proceeded to Ahwaz, and His Majesty’s Vice-Consul there was warned regard
ing them.
Owing to the desertion of two sections of the Levy to Seyed Mohammad
Khan at the time of his revolt against Sidiq Khan, the Sagwand Levy has
had to be entirely reconstituted, and now consists of two sections of Sadiq
Khan’s Sag wands and one section of Kurds totalling 42 sowars.
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