File 3852/1912 Pt 2 'Persia. Conditions in South Persia. German Documents' [‎248v] (128/280)

here and is reported to have conducted his operations with
extraordinary secrecy which deceived nobody but produced
various extravagant rumours of contemplated action by Swedes
and byP. G. 1 ) Latter’s objective is sometimes Turks sometimes
Russians while one rumour has it that Turks and Swedes
inspired by Germans will turn against Persians. It adds that
Hjalmarson is acting treacheroulsy under order of Swedi^
government.
My Russian colleague has manifested keen interest in
Swedish movements and frequently asks me for news on this
Addressed Minister, repeated Basrah, Shiraz, India.
trade 1
The offence of which the Swedish officers are accused, is
quickly defined. It is the crime, unpardonable even in neutral
countries, of sympathy with Germany or perhaps even a mutual
understanding. As appears from the foregoing telegram, no
hesitation is shown to impute a breach of neutrality to the
Swedish Government although the officers on the active
list had received orders of recall in consequence of the Swedish
mobilisation. But there is still a hesitating doubt whether the
elimination of the Swedish officers would not be too dearly
bought by the chaos which their disappearance might create;
in consequence of the excellent work of the Gendarmerie
English commerce which had almost entirely vanished in the
first six months of the war is again in a flourishing state (“bu
siness “evidently was not quite” as usual”). Indeed a possibility
had been discovered of securing a respectable portion of the
tea trade hitherto in the Russian allys hands. The English mi
nister cables on Jan. 23 rd , 1915 , to the Foreign Office in London:
kcOH
ifronitl)
:and 1
toed effort
| “Principal (
P
Jan, and lati
tope soo
p'jalsoisvf
w German a
“Even if Russian answer is not satisfactory it would appear
to me desirable that we should endeavour to obtain consent
of Swedish Govt, to leave Major Folke and Major Carlberg or
Moeller here 2 ) in order that Isfahan —Bushire section of road
may be suitably controlled. Other arrangements if necessary
Persian Government.
2 ) The Swedish Government had recalled them.
Gcnnan an<
teen fires an
Ik wrath (
’Marmerie,
iheykdbf
^popular with
1 He British
1 Sinister; "I
months and