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File 6/1912 Part 1 'Persia: Shiraz affairs; attack on Mr Smart; Swedish gendarmerie' [359r] (211/472)
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.
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✓ ’
Septeii.
%
253, Jtli
Letter of
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.
to Foreign Office
16th October 1911.
Pol. 1644/11.
Despatch of Indian Cavalry Regi
ments to Shiraz and Ispahan.
Sir G. Barclay’s Telegram No. 440
27th September 1911.
Sir G. Barclay’s Telegram No. 451
29th September 1911.
Sir G. Barclay’s Telegram No. 460
2nd October 1911.
Sir G. Barclay’s Telegram No. 462
3rd October 1911.
Pol. 4317/11.
Telegram to Viceroy, 4th October 1911.
Pol. 1598/11.
Sir G. Barclay's Despatch No. 202,
19th October 1911.
Pol. 4800/11.
Viceroy’s Telegram, 4th October 1911.
Pol. 1639/11.
»
be stationed as below, the numbers entailing only a
small addition to Colonel Cox’s proposals :—
Shiraz Area.
Squadrons.
Bu shire
Shiraz
Ispahan
2 (with headquarters)
Kerman Area.
Squadrons.
Bunder Abbas - 1
Kerman - _ ]
Bam (with new Vice-
Consulate) - 2 (with headquarters).
They emphasised, however, the addition to our
responsibilities which the scheme would involve
remarking that it had hitherto been the policy to
confine ^our elloitsto maintaining order in the ports
of the Gulf by the action of our ships, and by occa
sional temporary disembarkation of sailors or troops
for the protection ol British interests and residents
m those ports.
In a letter to the Foreign Office dated the 16th
October 1911, the Secretary of State expressed his
concurrence in these views, and his inability to
recommend the Council of fndia to sanction any
expenditure in connection with the scheme. Inter
aha, he dwelt on the probable effect of its adoption
upon Moslem opinion in India, and the criticism
that it might (‘.all forth from those who advocate a
diminution in the military charges of India.
15. Meantime, however, the question of sending-
troops from India had entered upon a new phase.
In a telegram dated the 27th September, Sir G.
Barclay had reported that Lieutenant Wilson had
been robbed and roughly handled by Kashgais on
Ins wav to Shiraz, and later telegrams represented
the situation at that place as one of serious (lan°-er
to British subjects. At the instance of the Foreign
Office, the Secretary of State instructed the Viceroy
that m view of the danger to British subjects effect
should be given to a recommendation of Sir G.
Barclay and Colonel Cox that 300 sowars should
be despatched from India as soon as possible. It
should, however, be explained that Sir G. Barclay
subsequently pointed out that his recommendation
for the despatch of these men was given in the
belief that they would be used for the protection of
caravans ; he had not believed that a reinforcement
was needed if the situation at Shiraz was considered
by itself.
Discretion was allowed as to a modification of
this number within reasonable limits, and on the
4th October the Government of India telegraphed
that immediate arrangements were being made for
the despatch to Shiraz of a regiment of Indian
cavalry with their two Maxims.
s. 1 * 6 . «
S
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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- 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