ملف رقم ١٤٢١ لسنة ١٩٠٨، جزء ٢، "بلاد فارس: النفط؛ حرس نفط الأهواز" [ظ‎‎١‎٥‎٤] (٤٨٢/٣٠٨)

Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
Letter from the Bakhtiari Khans to a Persian Friend, dated some time in October 1907.
^ SIN’CE^your friendship is assured and as you are fully acquainted with the
contracts with Lynch’s and the Oil Company, we trouble you with the request that if, as
previously you are with the British Consulate, you will, in whatever manner you think
best, bring this letter to the notice of the British Legation and British Consulate, and
explain the purport of it verbally. ,, . . , , • ,
Previously, there was a road through the Bakhtiari country over which caiavans and
merchandise passed and crossed the rivers by ferries, the ferryman levying a toll for the
work a portion of which toll was paid to us by way of revenue; two years previous to
Lynch’s making the road and bridge, we made a good bridge of ropes, by which the
traffic passed the river most satisfactorily. Then the old order of things passed from
our control, and Lynch’s seriously departed from the terms of their Agreement, and
caused us an infinity of trouble and loss by reason of the roads and caiavanserais we
built. You must be aware that since the road was made we had nothing but trouble
and loss; the building of the two iron bridges was also the cause of much trouble and
loss to us. ,
You know that during these few years Mr. Preece was the Consul-General at
Ispahan and was our good friend ; his friendship and knowledge and interest in our
affairs is the reason of our friendship with the British Government, and we are grateful
to him in that he conducted our affairs with justice, rectitude, and friendship, and
correctness, and took friendly trouble for us and in our affairs.
It was due to his efforts that whenever Lynch’s attempted to oppress us, Mr. Preece,
in accordance with justice and agreement, prevented our being tyrannized over; he
prevented Lynch’s making exorbitant charges, and arranged that we paid 300 odd tomans
the first year and 400 tomans the second year.
We did not at that time realize the ability and fairmindedness of Mr. Preece ; but^all
this has been changed, and, in place of that favour, we have only trouble and worries.
Our affairs appear to have been transferred to the charge of the Vice-Consul at Ahwaz
(Captain Lorimer), who at first treated us in a friendly manner; but now he has taken up
another style, at once so overbearing and harsh that the bands of the proverbial and
ancient friendship between us and the English Government are strained to the breaking-
point. For example, in the contract for the road it is stipulated that no engineer (for
the roads) should be sent without our concurrence; now he states that last year an
engineer came (but without our knowledge) and painted the bridge, and presents
charges to the amount of 1,500 tomans, and in the most harsh, hectoring, and coarse
language (which we cannot write to you) peremptorily demands payment of the same.
Another matter is the contract of the Oil Company. You were with Mr. Preece
when the contract was made. All the difficult and very binding clauses drawn up with
mutual friendship were accepted by us ; but now the Oil Company’s representatives are
treating our people in a very severe manner, and are acting in a very reprehensible
way. We requested Captain Lorimer to put a stop to such actions, but he prefers to
magnify other small matters, making mountains out of mole-hills, and makes difficulties
where there should be none.
The question of robberies inserted in the contract is beyond our control, but he
demands compensation, and wishes to deduct the amount from the instalment which is
due. He complains of the guards without just cause. By reason of all these difficulties
it was agreed under the seal of the British Legation that the instalments should be
increased yearly by 500/. for the expenses of the Chief of the road guards, who were to
be increased and always present. That latter we performed; now that it is time toi
payment of the instalment, he repudiates it and refuses to pay. We fear we tire you,
but there are still many questions unmentioned. We request that, in whatever way you
consider best and possible, to inform the British Legation and officials fully on these
matters, in order that the friendship of so many years may not be broken.
(Sealed by) NAYAF KULI (Eelkhani).
KHUSBOW. ...
GHULAM HUSEIN (Eelbigi).
NUSEEB.
Sam
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