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File 6/1912 Part 1 'Persia: Shiraz affairs; attack on Mr Smart; Swedish gendarmerie' [431r] (355/472)
The record is made up of 1 item (236 folios). It was created in Jan 1912-Jun 1912. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
0< >N Kl I 'KN I'l Al..
Siv G. Barclay to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received January 11, 3 15 p.m.)
/ No 31 ) Tehran, January 11, 1912, 2 p.m.
* YOUR telegram No. 13 [of 5th January]. ,
I yesterday enquired of Smart and Douglas whether, in view of very senous
consequences involved by the alternative proposals advocated by Government ol India
and the
India Office
The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors.
, they did not think it would be safe to take no fresh militaiy
measures and to maintain the consulate with its present guard.
I made this enquiry believing that attack on our escort was the result or
inflammatory telegrams from Nejef and extremists in Tehran in consequence ol
Russian ultimatum and in the hope that hostile feeling produced by this agitation
mioht subside, in which case I thought we might have confined our action to a demand
for°a moderate monetary compensation and for punishment of those responsible foi
citjtcick
Following is substance of their replies :—
Douglas savs : “ Recent events have shown that we cannot move small bodies of
troops about the country without the possibility of their being attacked This is
especially the case on the Bushire road at present, where an attack may be looked
upon as almost certain. The same will be the case on the Ispahan road when the
tribes move, if it is not so already. We are therefore entirely isolated, and later shall
be practically unable to move from Shiraz. I am unable to say what chance there
of our being attacked or having our supplies cut off, but there seems a o
it. Only sound military solution is to open up Bushire road, and I think an expedition
f0rt SmarT P s?yVU‘It e rs Sa generally recognised by Persians here that very serious
disorders among Kashgais in the spring are practically inevitable, and it is quite
possible that Kawamis tribes maybe drawn into the medley. Natural battle-held is t
immediate neighbourhood of Shiraz, and the expulsion of foreigners will be a very-
likely war-cry for one of the parties. I cannot prophesy as to likelihood of attack, but
above and the strong feeling of the tribesmen against our troops [?] certainly cannot be
ignored • anvhow, the interruption of our supplies by hostile tribal combination wou
be effected without The absence of any action on our part after the recent
incidents would render such a contingency more likely.
(Addressed to Foreign Office ; repeated to India.) %
About this item
- Content
Part 1 consists of correspondence relating to insecurity in southern Persia, particularly around Shiraz and along the Shiraz-Bushire roads. The papers tell of the British response to the situation, covering the following matters:
- the decision of whether to arm Shiraz or to evacuate the city;
- concern over Russia filling the gap left by the British were they to evacuate;
- the situation on the ground, conveyed in several reports;
- the proposal to occupy Bushire with a battalion and to subsidize local chiefs to maintain the roads;
- the Persian Government plan to employ Swedish officers to command and train a gendarmerie along some of the roads;
- British claims for reparation from the Persian Government following an attack on the Shiraz Consul, Mr Smart, and his escort;
- the question of providing winter quarters for Indian troops in Shiraz should they have remain there for the season.
The discussion over such matters is mostly between the Foreign Office, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , War Office, Government of India, and Minister at Tehran. Further correspondence, included as enclosures, is from Percy Zachariah Cox, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
Included is memorandum on the situation in Southern Persia by J E F, Political Department, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , 16 February 1912.
- Extent and format
- 1 item (236 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front.
The subject 6 (Persia) consists of this one volume. The volume is divided into two parts.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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File 6/1912 Part 1 'Persia: Shiraz affairs; attack on Mr Smart; Swedish gendarmerie' [431r] (355/472), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/197/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100028474501.0x000043> [accessed 2 August 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/197/1
- Title
- File 6/1912 Part 1 'Persia: Shiraz affairs; attack on Mr Smart; Swedish gendarmerie'
- Pages
- 254r:289v, 290v:305v, 306v:446v, 447v:489v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence