File 1323/1916 Pt 1 ‘Baluchistan:- Disturbed conditions on the Anglo-Persian border. Future administration of Mekran, Sarhad & the Kalat States’ [‎67v] (132/896)

eomt)la ; n that Diwan Begi’s mission by treating with Dost Muhamed mates
his task more difficult, shows a complete misunderstanding of the nature of
the whole operations. ,, , .
B I am informed hy Diwan Begi that Dost Muhamed fully realises that
he cannJt ms st the powers at the disposal of the Persian Government, that
he has accepted the despatch of a Persian Governor and of a Persian garrison
to Baluchistan. . . „ .
‘ ‘ ' but
evil
hut
6 Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Moiallal states that Dost Muhamed is the prince of liars,
i „ -nnrvTrovnnr ftnn 53, Persian srarnson his power or
power
to nothing:
adds that with a Persian Governor and a Persian garrison
will he eone. It was always certain that he would give way
force and his submission would only last so long as force existed.
7 Diwan Begi himself is an able man who has served many years m the
Persian Poreign Office at Tehran and has the details of the relations of the
Persian Government with Great Britain and with Russia at his fingers ends.
He states that he considers Dost Muhamed to be a very intelligent man an „
indeed, he must have some force of character to have at his age acquired the
ascendency which he has gained.
8 In the face of the fact that even with a Persian Governor in the past
the Persian Government has found it difficult to gather its revenues, Diwan
Begi has recommended that Dost Muhamed be kept on a salary to assist the
Governor in the recovery of the revenues. In this he may have been influenced
by the fact that he has himself with the assistance of Dost Muhamed been
elected member of the M^ejliss for Baluchistan, but there is little doubt that
the plea will he supported by Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Moazzam, the Governor of Kerman, and
by the General Officer Commanding at Isfahan and that it will probably appeal
to the Prime Minister.
It may be stated that the money for the peace mission were supplied by
the Prime Minister from military funds and thus the mission received its
orders from the General Officer Commanding at Isfahan.
9. Though Diwan Begi did not tell me so, I understand that he proposes
to appear as a candidate for the Civil Governorship, if a Military Governor is
not in the end appointed. Diwan Begi appears to be confident that the ques
tion uis-d-ms the British and the British frontier can be brought to a satis
factory An East India Company trading post. conclusion, but Dost Muhamed has succeeded in making him believe
that the fault is not all on one side—sometimes by deliberate false statements,
sometimes by a perversion of the truth.
10. Thus, in answer to our claims against the Persian Government,
counter-claims will arise notably with regard to the attack on Dost Muhamed’s
caravan on its return from Gwadur, in which the case may in fact go partially
against us.
Dost Muhamed makes various false statements against Colonel Keyes.
He adheres to the statement that Colonel Keyes offered him assistance with
arms and money to resist the Persian Government, though he now says it was
some years ago that he desired to build a fort at Sib in Persian territory and
measured out the land and that he wished to bring British troops into Persian
territory to arrest one Ibrahim Khan.
He also makes a claim for Persia to Garh which we have occupied.
11. Diwan Begi is willing to leave Dost Muhamed at Fahrej which, he
states, is a filthy unhealthy hole, its climate and unhealthiness being the
greatest enemy the Persians had to face in Persian Baluchistan. He states
that there are many healthy places in the country at which a new capital can
he made and that he would not dream of placing the Persian Governor at
Pahrej or Bampur.
He adds that where the Governor lives there will be the seat of
sovereignty.
Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Mojallal informed us that the only reason that the Government
was kept at those places was that the Government lands were situated there
and the troops were fed on the Government crops much to the benefit of the
Governor who always farmed crown lands.
f