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File 795/1913 'Persia Situation in Fars' [164v] (333/390)
The record is made up of 1 volume (191 folios). It was created in 30 Oct 1912-18 Jun 1913. It was written in English. 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.
not for the fact that it is exclusively this particular province which is affected by
his proposals, which cannot fail to react upon questions of local administration
and provincial finance.
The opinion has been expressed by the Ala-es-Saltaneh that order can be
restored in Pars only by means of the scheme proposed by the Swedish Com
mandant.
He has no doubt good reasons for expressing such a view, but I find it
difficult to understand why an increase of the gendarmes in Pars from 1.400
(the number allotted at present under the gendarmerie scheme) to 1,800 should
of necessity bring about the desired consummation.
Nor do I understand why His Highness should ignore all that is now being
done, and proposed, by the Mukhbir, to raise a local force and to provide road
guards. Might I, without in any way wishing to belittle or even criticize the
details of the Colonel’s scheme, suggest that we should at any rate watch the
course of events at Shiraz during the next few months before we give our support
to any such extensive financial proposals, or any extension of the present pro
gramme of the gendarmerie.
«
If it becomes apparent during the course of the next 6 or 8 months that
satisfactory progress is not being made with the proposed arrangements of the
Governor-General, and that it is the gendarmerie force alone that can do any
good to the province, then it will be time enough to consider a more ambitious
programme for giving them wider scope : in the meanwhile I venture to think
that the Governor-General’s own plans are sufficient to meet the necessities of the
case. As to the financial aspect of the matter, 1 need only remind Your Excel
lency that in favourable circumstances the normal revenues of Pars amount to
about ^ 150,000 whilst normal provincial expenditure will probably come to
£80,000 or £90,000, the cost of the gendarmerie being excluded.
But for the next year or two the revenues cannot be expected to be as much
as £ 100,000; it is therefore clear that although it mav in the furure be possible
to meet out of provincial revenues the cost of a small force of gandarmes, this is
not at present possible, and under the circumstances it would be best perhaps to
allow experience to develop slowly in accordance wdth changes in the situation,
rather than accept as constituting the only means of salvation, the enlarged
programme put forward by Colonel Hjalmarson.
Telegram No. 23, dated (and received) the 21st January 1913.
From—-His Majesty’s Consul, Shiraz,
To—The
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.
. (Repetition of telegram No. 26,
to His Majesty’s Minister, Tehran).
Arms for Governor-General,
, 6 proposal made in your telegram No. 12 that arms and ammunition
should be obtained by the Governor-General from India is gladly accepted by
hmi. He begs me to address you on the subject forthwith and to ask you to be
so goo as to make the necessary arrangements with the Government of India.
1,000 rifles are wanted, with 500,000 rounds of ammunition.
He declares himself prepared to make all requisite arrangements for their
transport here. No doubt the cost could be met out of the next loan, but for
the present this question might be left in abeyance.
Th e . Oi overnor_ (j enera l begs me to impress on Your Excellency the necessity
ot his being put in possession of these arms with the least possible delay.
As I have remarked in my telegram No. 19, the effects of apparent weak-
ness, and in action, on his part, are cumulative and the sooner he asserts himself
with effect the better.
He is particularly anxious that the arms should be supplied before Nau Ruz,
that is to say m 2 months’ time.
About this item
- Content
The volume is concerned with the Persian Province of Fars; in particular the maintenance of the order and the authority of the Governor-General. The main focus of discussion is the Gendarmerie (under the command of Swedish officers) and a new local Persian force proposed by the Governor-General. It contains much discussion between British officials over the effectiveness of the Gendarmerie, and the suitability of employing Swedish officers in Persia. There is also discussion over the extent that British support should be provided to the Governor-General's new force, which includes the following: a proposal for the Government of India to supply arms and ammunition, and proposals to appoint a British officer to inspect and advise the new force. There is also consideration over the potential for conflict between the Governor-General's force and the Gendarmerie, and the potential for a negative impact on the latter should a British officer be appointed to the Governor's force.
There is also a great deal of discussion related to the position of the 39 Central India Horse (commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel James Archibald Douglas) at Shiraz and additional infantry supplied to guard the British Consulate there; the discussion centres on whether or not these forces should be withdrawn from Persia. Some limited consideration of 'outrages' committed by Persians against British troops is factored into this discussion. It also includes proposals for withdrawing these forces from Persia via Bushire.
The principal correspondents are as follows: Sir Walter Beaupre Townley, HM Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary A diplomatic representative who ranks below an ambassador. The term can be shortened to 'envoy'. to Persia; Sir Edward Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; Sir Walter Alexander Smart, HM Consul, Shiraz; and Sir 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. .
The following can also be found within:
- two copies (on folios 84-87 and 185-188) of a review of the general situation in Fars by Sir W A Smart;
- a note (folios 190-191) from Henry George Chick, Commercial Adviser to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , on a possible split between two sections of the Kashkuli Kashgais;
- a proposed answer (folios 132-139) for the Secretary of State for India to a proposed question to be asked by Sir John David Rees in the House of Commons on 13 March 1913;
- a report from Major Kettlewell (folios 109v-111) on the movements of a survey party of the 39th Central India Horse on 11 December 1913, which provides an account of the death of Captain A B Eckford;
- a commendation for Mr J C Smith, Assistant Superintendent of the Indo-European Telegraph, and staff in Fars (folios 182-191).
The French content consists of two programmes for the development of the Gendarmerie submitted by Colonel Hjalmar O Hjalmarson (folios 152-153 and 50-51) dated 29 December 1912 and 13 February 1913 respectively.
Each part includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (191 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers within are arranged loosely in reverse chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 193; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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File 795/1913 'Persia Situation in Fars' [164v] (333/390), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/357, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100028276990.0x000086> [accessed 4 May 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/357
- Title
- File 795/1913 'Persia Situation in Fars'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:49v, 52r:151v, 154r:192v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence