File 3280/1913 'Persia: Bushire-Shiraz road; Swedish gendarmerie; conditions on the Bushire-Shiraz road; tours of Shiraz consul' [‎69r] (142/332)

Between Dashtarjin and Mian Kotal—
8. Tul-i-Mur, on the Mullah Nairu pass leading into the valley of the
Shapur river.
9. Post-hSurkhi, at the foot of the Pir-i-Zan pass.
10. Summit of the Pir-i-zan pass.
Between Mian Kotal andKazerun—
11 . Dashti Barm.
12. Top of Kotal-i-Dukhtar.
And besides these various caravanserais and other existing building| ^
have been repaired and rendered defensible.
158
No. 7, dated the 3rd (received 12th) January 1914) (Confidential).
Prom—J. G. Loeimee, Esq., C.I.E., Officiating 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,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Depart
ment, Delhi.
In forwarding a copy of the marginally-noted correspondence, which has
1. Major Lundberg to Resident, dated tbe 18th December 1913. taken place bet\l Gen the
„ ~ j. • t . . .,, *1 . t. , 10lo Swedish officer of Persian
2. Resident to Captain Lndberg, dated the 31st December 1913. , . . i . ■.
gendarmerie at Bushire and
myself, on the subject of a tax on mules proposed by the former as a means
of obtaining funds for keeping clean the caravanserais on the Bushire-Shiraz
road, 1 have the honour to add the following observations :—
The strongest objection to Major Lund berg’s scheme is one which I did
not feel able to include in my reply to his letter. It is that if the gendarmerie
are allowed to collect dues under any name, it will be difficult for their
European officers to restrain them from abusing their functions as collectors and
extorting more than the authorised charges, at least in outlying posts. The
danger is one which would at once occur to anyone who has been associated
with Militia or Police on the North- West Frontier of India, but Major Lundberg
mav not have thought of it, and he might regard the mere suggestion of its
possibility as an imputation on the character of the force under his command.
{Enclosure No. 1.)
No. 3, dated Bushire, the 18th December 1913.
From— Majoe H. Lundbero, Gendarmerie Gouvernementale De Perse, Regiment,
To—The British Resident and General Consul in Bushire.
Herewith I beg to call your attention to the need of keeping the caravan
serais clean along the Shiraz road. One of them, Mian Kotal, was so dirty
that the European travellers only with the greatest unwillingness could pass
a night there. The chief of the gendarmerie post got orders to have it cleaned
by the charvadars. Thereby was a veritable Augias-stable cleansed. A
manure heap, which covered the garden at a depth of two yards, was taken
away and burnt down. The charvadars made however complaints about this
matter, asserting that their caravans would be delayed, if they must occupy
themselves with cleaning the caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). . And the charvadars are perhaps
in the right not to be delayed.
The gendarmes are prejudiced against any work beyond their proper
service. We cannot, without great inconveniences, put them to clean the
caravanserais.
I therefore beg you to reflect upon the proposal, which however is not
descending from me, that every charvadar must pay one shahi (1/20 kran)
a mule at the quarters for the night. This money would be collected by the
Gendarmerie-post-chief. It will be his duty to pay hamals (porters) and keep
donkeys for the cleaning.