ملف رقم ٣٤٥ لسنة ١٩٠٨ الجزء الأول "المحمرة: الوضع. تطمينات بريطانية للشيخ." [ظ‎‎١‎٥‎٠] (٤١٦/٣٠٥)

2
The Bakhtiaris intimate that, prompted by the common sentiments of self-
preservation, they contemplate allying themselves with the Sheikh of Moham-
merah, and in the hope of thus maintaining a position of semi or practical inde
pendence they are anxious to enter into a secret understanding with the British
Government.
I do not feel that I can safely or usefully offer much comment upon their re-
spective representations, as in such a question my field of vision is too confined .
to allow me to see the matter in the right perspective. I can only say as a local
officer that it seems to me that having by the terms of our convention with Russia
left the region affected, in the neutral zone and exposed to German enterprise, it
is of the utmost importance to our interests to counteract the advantages of that
circumstance as far as possible and without delay, by strengthening our hold as
much as we can upon the Chiefs of South Western Persia before the opportunity
to do so passes out of our control.
As far as the Sheikh of Mohammerah is concerned, I believe him to be
primarily quite sincere in his protestations that his interests and hopes are centred
in us. "Nevertheless he is mainly prompted by the dictates of self-preservation
and should there be failure on our part to dispel his apprehensions, it is as well to
remember that he is likely to be greatly influenced by his astute henchman and
relative Haji Rais-ut-Tujjar, who is possessed by no feelings of tradition or senti
ment or by any considerations other than those of personal agrandisement and
present profit, and would, I doubt not, as lief pursue his schemes through German
auspices as ours, if the former w r ere made sufficiently attractive to him and ours
were too lukewarm.
Whether the aspirations of the Sheikh and the Khans can be entertained to
any degree or not, I feel sure that the problem of which they are factors will have
the early and interested consideration of Government.
A duplicate of this letter is being forwarded to His Majesty’s Chargd
d’Affaires, Tehran, under my office No. 44—943 of to-day’s date.
Note regarding an interview which took place between the Sheikh
Khazal of Moharnmerah and the Officiating Political Resident in
the Persian Gulf.
Dated Jth January igoS.
At my last visit to Mohammerah on the 16th December 1907, in connection
with the delivery to the bheikh of the Humaidi pirates, Sheikh Khazal who in
the course of our discussion regarding the punishment of the outlaws, had inci
dentally shown that he had heard of our recent agreement with Sheikh Mubarek,
informed me as I was leaving that he had urgent grounds for wishing to discuss
his affairs generally with me and begged me to pay him a leisurely visit at an
early date for the purpose. I did so on 7th January, and having gone there for
this express purpose, 1 took such previous papers as were necessary with me.
Mr. McDouall was present with me. Sheikh Khazal having in the first instance
led me to think that he needed more definite support or assurances from us,
I read him out the purport of Sir Arthur Hardinge’s letters of December 7th,
1902 and December 24th, 1903 and then enquired what fuither he needed.
Sheikh Khazal replied that the assurances just referred to w r ere all right so far as
they went and at the epoch at which they w 7 ere given but that the outlook had
much changed and developed since 1903 and that he could not but regard the
near future with the greatest apprehension. It was the advent of the “ Majlis ”
and the so-called constitutional government which had changed the aspect of the
future so much. One of two things must soon happen, either the Shah or the
Majlis must be eliminated. If the probability was that the Shah would be able
to suppress the Majlis, as there was no doubt he would like to do, and if there
was to be a return to absolute Government, then he would not feel so apprehen
sive, for he was fortified by the assurance which we had given him to afford him
our good offices and support with the Central Government, and, as long as he
remained faithful to the Shah and followed our advice, to protect him against
attack by water under any pretext. But it now appeared to him and his