'Expenditure on Malleson Mission and troops in East Persia, 1918 to 1921' [‎3v] (6/34)

r p]}g Conference decided unsinimously tliftt n tele^icim slionld be sent to tlie
Covernment of India proposing that General Malleson’s Mission slionld be withdrawn
to Meshed, with a possible outpost at Kuchan ; that the withdrawal should be slow
enough to enable friendly elements of the population to leave, anil that on healing
from the Government of India the War Office should reply to General Milne.
(11413/19.)
( x ) Qn 26th February 1919 General Malleson cabled to the General Officer
Commanding, Constantinople, asking for 5,000,000 loubles foi the puipose of (1)
paying railway workmen ; (2) giving assistance to inhabitants wishing to leave the
country on the withdrawal of the Fritish troops from Iranscaspia.
The General Officer Commanding cabled this request to the War Office, who
strongly supported it, and asked the Foreign Office to obtain Treasury sanction.
(10575/19.)
(xi) On 13th March 1919 the Foreign Office wrote to the Treasury supporting
this proposal as a matter of urgency, and observing that it was coveied by thi
recommendations of the Fastern Committee made 8th kebiuary.
It \vas suggested that as the proper incidence of cost was m dispute, this
question should be settled later. (11413/19.)
(xii) On 14th March 1919 the Treasury sanctioned this proposal, the funds to
be placed at the disposal of General Malleson at Meshed by His Majesty’s Minister
at Tehran, but it was subsequently arranged that instead the Government of India
would supply Persian currency at Meshed through the Imperial Bank of Persia.
(11963/19.) ^ ‘
The question of incidence of cost w r as left to a further inter-departmental
meeting.
(11413/19.)
(xiii) On 15th March 1919 the Indian Government cabled details of the
expenditure of General Malleson to date, which was as follows .
Pay charges - lo,UUU
Secret Service, Turkestan _ - - - 37,000
Other Secret Service ----- 13,000
“ Other charges ” - - - - - 5,000
Charges of military forces _ - - - ?
Road making ------ 9,000
Payment to Askabad Government for rations supplied - 100,000
Subsidy in December _ - _ _ - 100,000
Maintenance of railway service - - - - 80,000
Payment to Askabad Government in December - - 17,000
Expenses of withdrawal (estimate) - - - 100,000
£476,000
(xiv) On 27th March 1919 the Treasury wrote to the 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. that they
concurred in the view of the War Office that “the only charges brought against Army
“ Funds in connection with the Mission should be those in connection with the troops
“ actually engaged in military operations,” and suggested that as regards the other
expenditure, ii which appears to be of a quasi-political chaiactei. the 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.
should communicate with the Foreign Office. (12729/19, 13060/19.)
(xv) On 30th May 1919 the Government of India cabled to the 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. that
the Consul-General, Meshed, wdio had suspended payments from Secret Service on
15th February, asked for replacement of funds at his disposal from 1st June, in view
of the Bolshevik and Afghan menace, and that the Government of India were
authorising this in anticipation 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. approval.
The 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. (on 16th July) wrote to the Foreign Office proposing, subject to
their concurrence, to approve.
The Foreign Office (on 28th July) wTote to the Treasury transmitting this
correspondence without comment.
No action lias been taken on this correspondence. (33112/19.)
(xvi) On 29th August 1919 the Foreign Office (who agreed with the War Office
and the Treasury as to the part liability of India, but differed from both only on the
incidence of the charge as between Foreign Office and Army Votes) challenged the