‘Military report on Persia Volume I 1930’ [‎16v] (37/154)

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recaptured however on 29th December 1929, and brought
to Tehran where he was court-martialled and shot on the
2nd February 1930.
Seistan Historical retrospect .—During the first ten cen
turies of the Christian era, and in still earlier times, Seistan
was one of the most wealthy districts of South Central Asia,
and there were times when it supported more than double
its present population. From that time to the middle of
the 19th century the once wealthy district had been im
poverished, and large tracts had been laid waste by the
devastating conquests of Mahmud of Ghazni, Jengiz Khan,
Timur and Nadir Shah. In 1855, Ali Khan of Seistan,
seceding from Herat, raised the Persian flag in Seistan, and
Seistan first came to acknowledge subjection to Tehran.
The Persian Government on securing Seistan determined
to treat it as a conquered country.
In 1894, the whole of the district was leased to the
local Governor in return for a payment to the Persian Gov
ernment of 200,000 maunds of grain and 26,000 krans in
cash. The Governor was permitted to retain some 7,000
kharwars (about 1,400 tons) for payment of local officials and
troops. It was left, to the Governor to, make such revenue
arrangements as he liked, provided he paid the fixed revenue
’when due,, and did not. draw on the Persian Government for
any local expenditure. The natural result was that the
Governor proceeded to enrich himself without regard to
the prosperity of the country.
In 1902, the contract was taken from the local Governor,
and a Director of Revenue was appointed.
The replacement of the Governor by the Revenue
Director resulted in no benefit to the agriculturists, and in
1908, the landowners and Madias rose against the prevail
ing conditions.
Tn Seistan, the years 1912-14 were uneventful. In July
and August 1915, Indian troops were sent in from Nushki
and these formed the nucleus of what was afterwards called
the Seistan Field Force and subsequently, in 1918, became
the East Persian Line of Communications. Levies were
also raised locally by His Britannic Majesty’s Consul at
Seistan, and these co-operated with our troops along the
Line of Communications. The latter were disbanded in
the. beginning of 1921, after the withdrawal of the main
Meshed Force and the East Persian Line of Communica
tions.