File 52/1912 Pt 3 'Persia Diaries' [‎46r] (102/1128)

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CONFtDENTIAIi.
Meshed Diary No. 45 for the week ending the 9th November 1918.
1 . Persian officials —Mtm much delay and the surmounting of various
difficulties our friend M. Kornelis has been re-appointed to the post of Finance
Commissioner He is generally popular in the city, and his restitution has
given satisfaction to all parties including the moderate democrats.
2. Another friend of ours, Shahzadah Hashim Mirza, who was recently
Rais-i-Aukaf, is appointed Public Prosecutor in the local courts. The
Ma’tamid-ul-Ayaiah of Nishapur is posted as Governor of Sar Vilayat.
3 . Persian affairs (/oca/).—Orders have been received by the local
Director of telegraphs that telegrams should now be accepted for Constantinople
and Bulgarian, Greek, and Belgian towns ; but that he should warn the public
that the administration cannot be responsible for any delay that may occur in
the receipt of replies.
4. General rejoicing at the surrender of Turkey to the Allies is evident in I
Meshed city. Those who are connected with the carpet industry are especially
pleased : they suppose that this trade which has been practically suspended for
so long will now re-open. A very considerable proportion of the Meshed public
are in some way or other connected with this industry.
5. Persian affairs {general). —The Deputy Governor of Kuchan (para
graph 3 of Diary No. 40) has arrived and assumed charge of the post It is
hoped that the disturbances mentioned last week will now cease.
6 . British affairs —The continued receipt of good news regarding the war f
has its effect here. It is now generally accepted, even by a large section of the
democrats, that the best prospects of Persia lie in the direction of friendship
with the British ; and we receive constant congratulations from all classes the
large majority of which are probably sincere. '
7.. The enlistment of Hazaras for the Khcrassan Levy Corps proceeds
steadily but not so speedily as we had hoped. Sickness is the chief cause of
the delay in collecting the men. The total at present is 104 : several men have
been discharged as not being up to the standard we hope to maintain.
8 . Major Collum, 26th Light Cavalry, left Meshed on the 6 th instant for
Bujnurd. His deputation is in connection with the proposal to raise temporary
levies for trans-frontier work.
9. Russian affairs. —Nine Russians and one Italian arrived in Meshed
during the - week, having been sent in from Sarakhs as refugees. They were at
first taken to the Ark under the orders of the Governor-General in
^communication with us, but have since been released. Eight of this party,
including two officers, have been despatched to Askabad.
10 . I have been requested during the week to take up several claims of
Russian subjects against the Trans-Caspia Government. The applicants com
plain that their property was first plundered by the Bolsheviks when in power
at Askabad ; and that now the present government wish to levy taxes on the
same property.
The cases are hard, but there seems to be nothing to be done at present at
‘ least.
11 . Persian and German intrigues. —The member of the Commercial
Mission mentioned in paragraph 12 last week has rented a portion of a caravan
serai the property of Meshedi Abd-ullah, the Russian Tajir Bashi, for ten years
at a rent of tumans 17,000 for the whole period. He has paid 5,000 in
advance.
My colleague maintains that this is a genuine concern which is connected
(as before reported) with a respectable and longstanding commercial house at
Moscow. It appears that this is probably the case : were the Mission working
in enemy interest they would be scarcely likely to adopt the methods they
have followed since their arrival in Khorassan ^and their conf^ntipa that they
are compelled to be idle for the present on account of t^e. di§o?ders in, Russia
is reasonable.' At the same time their prospecjs ^efia^so ^r^jyork'\in this
L.
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