File 3852/1912 Pt 2 'Persia. Conditions in South Persia. German Documents' [‎248r] (127/280)

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Isfahan by the Persian Government, two Swedish officers,
Lundberg and Pousette, who were entrusted with the transport
of this new consignment, took some precautionary measures
which England immediately interpreted as a suspicious or
even hostile act. And this in spite of Major Pravitz, the chief
of the regiment stationed at Shiraz, having made no secret
^ the reason of the dispatch of the two officers * 1 ). For the
British Consul at Shiraz sent on Januar 6 th , 1915 , a telegram
of the following tenor to Teheran and Bushire:
"Prodrome, Tehran 2 3 ) Knox, Bushire 2 ).“
“Major Pravitz informed me to-day that Captains Lundberg
and Pousette who were to have left Shiraz to-morrow morning
for Tehran, have now received instructions from Tehran to
proceed to Bushire in order to bring up one million of cartridges
and for other purposes. O’Connor."
The "calumnies” (such is the expression used by the
British minister himself) of the absolutely loyal Swedish officers
are allowed to take effect as evidenced by the reply of the
Resident of Bushire dated Januar 17 th, 1915 . Lt. Col. Knox
cables to the British minister, to Basrah, Shiraz and Delhi (1)^
Tel. S. D.
From Knox, Bushire 17 . 1 . 1915 .
C. Shiraz Telegram Nr. 1 January 6 th .
Lundberg left Bushire with 463 mules laden with am
munition on January 15 th . He stopped a very short time
!) The reproach to the Swedish officers of “smuggling munition”
is further refuted by a letter from the late Commandant of the Gendarmerie
at Fars, Uggla; this letter was found in the British Consulate at Shiraz.
This Swedish officer writes to Major O’Connor from Peking on April 18 th
1915 : ,,For the moment I can only give you my word of honour that I (and
I am convinced, all my Swedish officers) never have done anything of the
kind, never have tried to disturb the internal peace of Persia, nor acted
against whomever be it England, Russia or Germany. Neither have we
transported arms or ammunition except for the Gendarmerie. On the other
hand we (or at least myself) have never been approached by any German
with proposals of this nature.”
2 ) Telegraphic code word during war time for the English legation,
Teheran.
3 ) Resident and Consul General for Bushire and the gulfports.