‘Confidential. Persia’ [‎522r] (93/112)

(6) The Sheikh of Mohammerah.
For the assertion of special British
interests in the trade of the port of
Mohammerah and the navigation of the
Karan river, reference may he made to
pages 9, 11-12, 21-25, 4)3-17, above.
But Mohammerah, apart from its trade,
is of importance as the seat of a local
Governor, to whom assurances of support
have been given by the British Govern
ment in order to safeguard British interests
at the mouth of the Karun from foreign
competition and intrigue, and about whom
the intentions of British policy have been
clearly explained to the Persian Govern
ment.
1902.
Secret E., May 1902, Nos. 53-56, Proceeding
No. 64.
Secret E., August 1902, Nog. 91-94, Proceeding
No. 93.
Enclosure 4 in Secret E., December 1902, Nos.
120-130, Proceeding No. 121.
Secret E„ June 1903, Nos. 337-356, Proceeding
No. 340.
Enclosure i-'Tti Secret E., December 1902, No».
120-120, Proceeding No. 121,
2 . Up to the year 1902 the Arab Sheikh
of Mohammerah enjoyed practically com
plete local autonomy and the right to
collect his own customs dues. In 1S02
the Russian Legation addressed a protest
to the Persian Government against the
irregularities at present existing in the
collection of customs at Mohammerah and
demanded, in the interests of uniformity
and with a view to fair and equal treat
ment of importers of all nations, that a
proper customs administration should be
established without further delay at that
port. The Sheikh sent an envoy to Tehran
to effect a settlement, and consulted the
British Minister about the objection he
entertained to accepting a Belgian customs
official at Mohammerah, in whom he very
naturally saw a tool of Russia and the
thin end of the wedge for the destruction
of Arab autonomy. Finally, in May 1902,
the Sheikh's Agent arranged an agreement
with the Persian Government which
bound him to accept a Persian custom
house at Mohammerah, with a Belgian
assistant, but recognized the Sheikh as
head of the customs. This written agree
ment was seen in the original by Mr.
Grahame at the British Legation, hut its
existence was denied by the Grand Vizier
in December 1902. The Agent continued
to urge that His Majesty's Government
should give the Sheikh an assurance of
protection similar to that accorded to the
Sheikh Mubarak of Koweit, explaining
that he was not afraid of the Persian
Government, hut that he wished, in view
of the possible break-up of Persia at no
distant date, to feel that the position of
the Mohammerah Arabs was secured.
On 17th September 1902, Mr. des
Graz, acting on instructions from Lord