'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART I: A to K' [‎124r] (252/1278)

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BAK—MK lit
Xvliick general insecurity of persons and property imposes on its sufferers :
und it is clear to them that they will have to make some choice in this regard
within the no distant future.
Military considerations.—It is interesting, therefore, to note briefly on the
military possibilities of their country.
(a) Fighting material and efficiency .—Various estimates and opinions
have been given on the fighting material and efficiency of the Bakhtiari.
Taking the latest census of 57,000 tents as correct, it may be reckoned that
the numbers of adults and youths capable of bearing arms should be about
60,000, but, allowing for a wastage of 10,000 on account of disease and
other causes, the real fighting strength may be estimated at 50,000.
According to the Khans themselves the tribe could muster about 12,000
men, horse and foot, armed with breach-loading rifles. Of these some 2,000
• possess magazine rifles and the remainder Martini-Metfords and Martini-
Henries. The Khans have, in addition, some 4,000 magazine rifles stored
in their residences which they looted from the arsenals at Tehran and
Isfahan. .
The number of rifles, however* possessed by the tribesmen is now much
greater and they are of a more modern type than the Martini, dhe Lebel
3 -charger is the chief weapon in use—the supply of ammunition, also seems
plentiful as tribesmen never hesitate to indulge in match shooting at stones,
etc,, against each other on all possible occasions, quite regardless of the
number of cartridges used* ' u ; s ■ ) •
Most of the armed men are fair, though not first-class, shots. The
leaders„however, are often very fine shots from horseback,
There are about 200 automatic pistols in the country in the hands of the
Khans and their; immediate retainers.
The number of horses that could be mustered has temporarily diminished
owing to the number used up in the various conflicts against the partisans
of the ex-Shah during the last two years. -
Probably not more than 4,000 sowars could be mustered under any
circumstances.
Other guns of still more doubtful utility, to the number of perhaps 10,000,
might be mustered among them. For operations against neighbouring
tribesmen these weapons answer sufficiently well, but would be useless
against good modern firearms. In regard to the question of the efficiency
of the tribesmen, they have none in the military sense of the expression;
but, tor purposes of guerrilla warfare in defending their own mountain homes,
as guides, mounted infantry, for raiding on the skirts of an army, and as
scouts, they would be invaluable to any European ally. The Khans are
sufficiently intelligent to know that they have no chance of defending
themselves against modern weapons, some of the latest types of which
they possess for sporting and other purposes. This same intelligence would
prevent them offering any useless resistance to any invasion of their country
from the north, but, as auxiliaries, they would combine and use all their
efforts to defend their country against annexation, in the mere sense of
absorption.
During the period preceding the harvesting of the new crops in May,
supplies are a difficulty almost everywhere. At other times the supplies