File 3443/1914 Pt 3 'German War: Afghanistan and Persia; German agents; British troops in East Persia' [‎71v] (153/345)

2
The Chief Mujtehid of Sistan.
Mullah Muhammad Mehdi died on the 30th January 1916. Of late years he
has been on quite friendly terms with the Consulate. He secretly held a
considerable number of shares in the Imperial Bank of Persia. His estate is
believed to be worth 100,000 Tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. . He has devised almost all his property
to his full brother Haji Muhammad Ali. The succession to the Chief Mujtehid-
ship is likely to be contested between his half-brothers Haji Shaikh Muhammad
Reza, who is in Sistan, and Mullah Muhammad Husain, who has resided for some
years in Tehran.
Baluch Raiders.
From Nasratabad Sipeh I hear that a lashJcar of 200 Ismailzais which set out to
loot Tabas and Kainat early in November last, has not returned yet.
The small band of Ismailzais which left Geraqab for Kainat on 7th January
(see Diary No. 3) returned recently to Sarhad with 300 camels.
From Birjand I hear on the 3rd instant that Baluch raiders are still frequenting
the neighbourhood of Tabas.
A fghan News.
Arrivals from Chakhansur give the following conflicting reports :—
(1) That the Amir has given out that he will not be drawn into the war
until Persia enters it.
(2) That universal conscription is about to be introduced for men of 15
years of age and over.
(3) That military operations will be undertaken at Naoroz.
(4) The Afghan outposts have been ordered to be in readiness to receive a
force of 500 Germans coming into the country.
(5) The authorities are returning cash to many Kadkhudas who paid their
revenue in this form, and are insisting on their supplying grain
instead.
There is a rumour that cholera has again appeared in Kabul.
The Scarcity in Sistan.
A Sistani has sold his daughter to a Baluch for eighty sheep and 60 Krans in
cash. People are commencing to leave their homes.
Insecurity of the Roads.
See last two diaries. The father of one of the two Consulate postal sowars
has managed to recover his stolen camel. He followed the tracks of it for 180
miles through Baluchab, Guraundi, Dumag, Dayakdoh, Khwash and Jajing into
the camp of Musafir Narui, a follower of Mir Jehind. Musafir would not say
what he had done with the postal bags. He declared that the other animal had
died. Musafir has an uncle named Shahbaz Khan living in Jaoli Robat, the
Afghan Frontier Post opposite British Robat.
Sistan Hospital figures for the month of January 1916.
New cases .. .. .. .. . .. 900
Old cases .. .. .. .. .. 657
Operations .. .. .. .. .. 12
F. B. PRIDEAUX, Major,
His Britannic Majesty's Consul for Sistan and Kain.
G. M. Press, Simla.—No. C, 637 F.D.—1-3-16—30—B.A.