ملف رقم ٣٤٥ لسنة ١٩٠٨ الجزء الثاني "المحمرة: الوضع. نزاع الشيخ مع والي البصرة. تقليد الشيخ وساماً. تجديد التطمينات للشيخ". [و‎‎٢‎٦‎٨] (٥٦٦/٥٤٠)

CONFIDENTIAL.
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Sir G. Loivther to Sir Edward Greij.—{Received May 7, 10 p.m.)
Constantinople, May 7, 1910, 3‘25 p.m.
(No. 75.)
YOUR telegram No. 94.
Offences alleged by the Turkish authorities against the sheikh are that several
murders and robberies have been committed at Bussorah, and that the offenders sought
refuge at Mohammerah and the sheikh refused to surrender them as he had promised.
An attempt was made to arrest one Mohamet Chenan, who is protected by the sheikh
on the ground that he is the headman of tribe dependent on him, though the Turks
claim him as an Ottoman subject, vali alleging that he obstructed and threatened
Turkish soldiers sent to evict certain peasants from land [group omitted: ? belonging
to] another proprietor near Zeitun, and ordering the attack on Zeitun, which is on
the [group undecypherable] side of the Shat-el-Arab.
Vali is at present at Bussorah, and His Majesty’s consul is endeavouring to arrange
an amicable settlement through the intermediary of one Hadji Reis, who had satisfactory
interview with the acting vali on 5th May. On 6th May His Majesty’s consul informed
Hadji Reis that sheikh must refrain from creating trouble in the Bussorah vilayet, aid
Turks to check crime, and realise that the Turkish wish for reform was genuine.
His telegram continues : “ Turks may ask us for assurances on these points. Reis
will see acting vali again to-morrow to learn the result of his telegraphic discussion
with the vali.”
Vali sent two letters to Persian consul-general at Bussorah on 26th April stating
his grievance as against the sheikh, and saying that if Mohamet Chenan was not to be
surrendered he would be obliged to include Mohammerah in area of pursuit.
Matters are still further complicated by the death of the sheikh’s wife, who died
from fright at Zeitun during the bombardment of the sheikh’s mother’s house, but
Persians will not bring this forward.
(Sent to Tehran.)
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