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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [225r] (448/949)
The record is made up of 1 file (475 folios). It was created in 7 Nov 1901-23 Aug 1905. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
J
[Notes by IBs Excellency*the Viceroy.)
Diaries of the Vice-Consuls at Mohammerah and Ahwaz.
(Secret E., June 1904, Nos. 149—170.)
Tn a letter dated the 28th February 1904, Major E. B. Burton, Acting Vice-Consul at Mohammerah, forwarded
the following Confidential Diary containing a short narrative of Mohammerah.
Confidential Diary,
Tho Sheikh of Mohammerah is 35 to 37 years old. He has 12 or 13 wives, one of his sons is 12 years
old and he has several daughters. He lately man-ied the niece of Ain-ed-Dowleh, and had by her one girl
who died. For this Persian princess he built the Kasr, a large house, on the hank of the Basrah river, 4 niTles
above Mohammerah, where he usually lives : he transacts most of his business at Fajlieh, a mile below the
Fasr down-stream. His eldest son is betrothed to the daughter of the Keis-ul-Tujjar; this has given great
offence to the Arabs.
The Sheikh is a keen trader and exports largo quantities of dates and wheat: transacting his own business
and keeping his own accounts. I am told he has a banking business also. He is on very good terms with, and
particularly civil to, the Captains of the British India steamers: and his nominee acts as agents for Grey,
Mackenzie and Co. at Mohammerah.
He has large properties on the Turkish side of the river, and is said to have registered his son as a Tur*
kish subject. His Turkish business is managed by an Arab, Mirza Hamza, who lives at Basrah. This man
is an Arab of Hillah and very popular. He is a very able man: he appears to bo about 45 to 50 years old.
Though Mirza Hamza lives entirely at Basrah, merely coming down the river to Fajlieh, he is said to manage
all the Arab business of the Sheikh : he has a son named Abdul Samad, who is Secretary to the Sheikh and
knows Persian and English. Mirza Hamza is supposed to bo an enemy of the Reis-ul-Tujjar.
The Reis-ul-Tujjar transacts the whole of the Sheikh’s Persian affairs and possesses great influence over
him. The Reis is excessively acute and a born diplomatist. He is a Behbahani and has been at Mohammerah
over 20 years : he must be 50 years old and is weak and fragile and does not seem likely to last long : he made
himself indispensable to the last Sheikh and was implicated in the plot resulting in his murder.
The Reis is a large merchant and has grown very rich. He is very pleasant and plausible, especially to
Europeans, but much disliked and distrusted, especially by Arabs, in Arabistan. He has great power and hia
influence extends to bhuster and Dizful. He is agent for tho Moin-ul-Tujjar. He has travelled over the grea
ter part of India, including the Native States of Central India.
His son, Mushir-ul-Tujjar, is about 21 years old ; and left last November vi& India and Egypt for Mecca :
he is to visit England and return by Constantinople and Russia This young man is a worthy son of his father
and his developement is watched with some apprehension. The father has some moments of remorse, the son
none, he is agent for the Persian line of steamers at Mohammerah.
The Reis-ul-Tujjar has an interest in the English carrying trade on the Karun in the form of an annual
subsidy of 4,(X0 krans : at the expiration of the present agreement, in two years, this may be altered by Messrs.
Lynch Brothers to a fee for each package carried by their steamers. It is very necessary that the Reis-ul-
Tujjar’s great influence with the Sheikh of Mohammerah, and in Arabistan, should be used on our side. It ia
impossible to say as yet whether his son will take his place.
The Sheikh of Mohammerah has extended his power, in a very marked manner, beyond that of his late
brother. There are now few signs of Persian authority south of Band-i-Kir to the border of Fars. The Gov
ernor of Arabistan does not appear at Ahwaz, nor is there a Karguzar there, as was the case in 1897, when I
was last in the country. The Sheikh now nominates the Governors of Ahwaz and Mashur, and controls the
Chaab Arabs at Fellahieh, whose Chief is under surveillance at Mohammerah.
I have not seen enough of the Sheikh to form an opinion as to hia real character. But this extension of
his authority must have been brought about by the exercise of a fixed purpose and great ability : perhaps this
may be looked for in the direction of the Reis-ul-Tujjar, though the negotiations with the Arabs must have
been carried out by Mirza Hamza.
The Sheikh’s territory stretches, apparently, along the coast as far as Shah Abdul Shah, a few miles
west of Dilani: his authority over this coast is of great importance to us. He has also bought Zeitun in con
junction with the Bakhtiari Chiefs. He has intimate relations with these Chiefs and may have come to an
understanding with them for mutual defence.
His frontier marches with that of the Bakhtiaris from the latitude of Band-i-Kir to South of Ram Hormuz.
I do not know exactly where it lies towards the Kuhgelu tribes, but the whole is remarkably safe owing
to their combined authority, and there appears to be now no raiding in that direction.
Tho Sheikh’s authority is not established towards Hawizeh and the Karkhah in the same manner as it is
on the left bank of the Karun: but his operations against the Beni Taraf, if ever carried out, may extend his
power in that quarter, though the nebulous state of the Turkish and Persian borders will always tend to
insecurity.
He has done much for the suppression of piracy on the Shat-el-Arab, and the safety of roads, and the
Karun river in Arabistan : with encouragement, and to please the British Government he would do more.
He can give us great assistance in matters affecting our Karun trade. The wheat embargo has been lately
enforced probably owing to his instigation : he would, I imagine, use his influence against such mediaeval
restrictions if we ask him to do so. The opening of the roads from Hawizeh to Ahwaz and Mohammerah could
also be arranged for by him.
The Sheikh could also oppose the running on the Karun of steamers other than English ones : and seriously
hamper any such schemes as the irrigation projects of the Dutch Engineer now deputed from Tehran to the
Karun. His ownership of tho river banks is of great importance to the above and also with reference to the
starting point of the Khuramabad road from Nasiri.
About this item
- Content
This part contains papers mostly relating to British interests in Persia [Iran] and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
It includes a copy of the Board of Trade Commercial Intelligence Committee ‘Report received from Mr. H. W. Maclean, the Special Commissioner appointed by the Commercial Intelligence Committee of the Board of Trade, on the conditions and prospects of British trade in Persia.’
A handwritten note at the front of the file, on folio 5, states ‘Spare copy of notes & correspondence of the “Helmand Control” file (with maps)’. Folio 110 consists of handwritten notes, including one dated 27 April 1904, which states ‘The secret Helmand papers have been printed up, and a set, with necessary maps, is submitted for H.E. the Viceroy to take to England.’ Much of the file concerns the question of controlling the water of the Helmand river and irrigating its whole delta, and the work of the Seistan Arbitration Commission to arbitrate between Persia and Afghanistan on the question of rights to the water of the Helmand in Seistan.
The file also includes reports by W A Johns on reconnaissances of potential railway routes made while he was attached to the Seistan Arbitration Commission, and other papers relating to railways and roads in Persia.
In addition, the file includes copies of the following Government of India Foreign Department Proceedings, which reproduce received Foreign Department correspondence on the following subjects: ‘Selection of a British naval base in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .’, November 1901, Nos. 74-83; ‘Visit of His Excellency the Viceroy to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. during November-December 1903.’, February 1904, Nos. 33-127; ‘Establishment of telegraphic communication with Henjam. Question of the selection of a naval base in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Aggressive action of the Persians at Tamb and Abu Musa; their claim to the Islands.’, June 1904, Nos. 300-388; ‘Reports of the Commercial Mission to Persia.’, June 1905, Nos. 45-111; ‘Question of retaining flagstaffs erected in the neighbourhood of the Musandim Promontory’, August 1905, Nos. 288-307.’
The file also includes: brief handwritten notes written by Curzon on headed paper belonging to the Viceregal Lodge, Simla, relating to Seistan and to Lord Kitchener’s planned reforms for the reorganisation and redistribution of the Indian Army; and a printed copy of the report ‘A Note by Major H.L. [Herbert Lionel] Showers, C.I.E., on the present state of affairs in Kelat and a review of the system of Administration now being pursued.’
The file includes four maps: ‘Map of the Tail waters of Helmand River’ (13 July 1903), f 122; ‘Plan Shewing Proposed Routes for a Railway from Nushki to Afghan Frontier near Robat’ (10 April 1903), f 139; ‘Extract from Admiralty Chart No. 753. (Entrance to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ).’ (October 1901), f 219; and ‘Sketch of route Ram Hormuz to Fellahieh.’ (April 1904), f 230.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (475 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in no apparent order, apart from the Government of India Foreign Department Proceedings, folios 231 to 474, which are arranged in chronological order.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/359/1
- Title
- ‘Persia – especially Seistan’
- Pages
- front, 2r:194v, 195v:196r, 197v:199v, 200v, 201v, 203r:272r, 273v:275v, 277r:405v, 408r:408v, 409v, 411r:413v, 414v:419v, 420v:424v, 425v:432v, 433v:435v, 436v, 437v:443v, 444v:471v, 473r:475v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
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- Open Government Licence