'Proposed Intelligence Service for the Middle East' [‎66v] (3/11)

2
(e) What organisation exists for the collection of economic intelligence.
if) What nse if any, is being made of Consular Olhcers. hntish tta( ei.^, c.
(3) What steps are being taken to keep an eye on Russian Mohammedanism.
3 It must be realised that as regards Constantinople Military-Political intelli-
cence will be a permanent service, whereas the purely Military Intelligence
service can onlv be temporary and transitory. 1 he current situation is in itself
much more Political than military, but wo are able as a military measure to
maintain temporarily a much larger staff than could ever be possible as a permanent
organisation. Therefore, Military Intelligence, in addition to dealing with the current
situation, should devote itself to the collection, filing and card-indexing of information
for permanent records in the Office of the Military Attaches, the \> ar Office and the
Foreign Office, in addition to such other offices as may be concerned. Ihese would
include, according to occasion, the Admiralty, 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. , hoard of Trade, British
Museum, Colonial Office and possibly the Home Office.
The question of circulation is considered hereafter.
4. Probably the best results will be obtained by forming a branch of Arbur 1 in
Constantinople, which would form a common pool from which all branches of intelli
gence could draw information as required.
Personnel for this might for the present be drawn largely from the military
staff, which could probably spare a sufficient number of officers if it was carefully
reorganised, though it is not possible to say from here in detail how this can be
done, vide 2 (iii) above. This branch of Arbur should for the time being work under
the direction of the Brigadier-General, Intelligence, in Constantinople, and busy itself
in (a) tiling information for permanent records, and (6) producing considered appre
ciations regarding the more permanent factors which would assist the shaping of our
policy in the Middle East.
Though it would be impossible to maintain this branch when once our Army of
Occupation had been withdrawn, it should be possible when the time comes to hand
over to the Military Attache's office a co-ordination of the main threads of
intelligence under appropriate headings, and the nucleus of a permanent Secret
Service."'
5.. To conclude as regards General Milne's command :—•
Though it might be considered preferable to await a detailed report from him,
the time at our disposal may be so short that the following steps are advocated for
action without further delay :—
(а) Transfer of the Brigadier-General from Tiflis to Constantinople with
orders to—
(б) Reorganise the existing intelligence personnel with a view to allowing for
the formation of a branch of Arbur in Constantinople, after providing for
the maintenance of the ordinary routine service of information.
ihe area to be worked would be the same as that at present covered by General
Milne s intelligence system, but would include the Balkans, as mentioned hereafter,
and special attention should be called to Kazan. Before we withdraw from the
Caucasus, General Milne should be called upon to do all that is possible to establish,
ya Constantinople and Tiflis, a service of agents with the object of keeping our
Government informed regarding any tendency towards an amalgamation of the
Ppr^fr r rtars , w ( 1 n M Unuis OT Shialls of Turke y. Azerbaijan, Afghanistan,
Jwtt k Atf 11 ? a " i e " lay have > and Probably has, taken steps to do this
ady, but there can be no harm in drawing attention to such an important factor.
viri<mV\?, P a 'kana no special organisation would be necessarv, but the
renortina to T rnn' ^ f" a ohes, and Missions in the Balkans, in addition to
Constindnonle -ill ' • 36 e . ncou raged to exchange information direct with
M.IJi. Olohammedan this P a l ler - 14 might more appmp.-iatulj- b* changed to
t tati0nS Great Britain ^ be Constantinople.
any permanent files in his offire" or'whether'^m Wh i ethM tl,e iI A -. should maintain
the situation under each heading at the time withT t ""l' haml<ld a precis of headings and of
required. ^ tne tlme > Wlth instructions to apply to London for any detail*