IOR/L/PS/10/858

This volume contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, telegrams and minutes. It mainly covers conversations between British officials regarding the process of sending gifts to the Sheikh of Mohammerah [Shaikh Khaz‘al bin Jābir al-Ka‘bī of Mohammerah, now known as Khorramshahr, also written in this volume as Mohammera and Mahomerah].

Related matters of discussion include the following: the Sheikh of Mohammerah and his role in Mesopotamia [Iraq] in recent years, as well as his relationship with British officers; a gift of recognition to the Sheikh of Mohammerah for supporting the British during the war [First World War]; an evaluation of the gift, which consists of a vessel and guns; the procedure of presenting the gift to the Sheikh; the valuation and cost of the supplies (of rifles and ammunition); payment; departure and arrival; disagreement among British officials (between the Government of India and the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf) on the quantity of supplies; a related argument regarding Persia [Iran] becoming a signatory to the Arms Traffic Convention; information regarding the Sheikh of Mohammerah’s investment in a British war loan; conversations about the suspicions of a plot by the Persian Government with the Bakhitiari [Bakhtiyārī] tribe.

In addition, the volume includes: ‘Memorandum on British Commitments (during the war) to the Gulf Chief’ (ff 175-181); a disposal and liquidation commission: a statement of guns, fittings and ammunition issued by the General Officer Commanding, Mesopotamia, to the Sheikh of Mohammerah (ff 92-93); a list of stores requirements (f 62).

The correspondence in the volume is mostly internal correspondence between British officials of different departments, along with some correspondence with French Government officials. The principal correspondents are: Civil Commissioner in Mesopotamia; Political Officer, Baghdad; War Office; Ministry of Munitions of War; Disposal and Liquidation Commission; Inland Water Transport, Basrah [Basra]; and Army Council.

The volume includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.