'File No. II/12 Foreign Dept Memoranda of Information re: affairs in Persia and Arabian shore of the Persian Gulf. Jan '09 --' [‎37v] (74/178)

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Situation at Tehran.
arms and of Caucasian anarchists into Persia
had failed, it had been decided by the Russian
Government to send a gun-boat to Enzeli as a
stationaire and another man-of-war to do police
duty off that port. Like measures were to be
taken in the Gulf of Asterabad. A later
report from Tehran showed that Asterabad
appeared to be at the mercy of Turkomans
who were acting under orders from the Shah.
There was no material alteration in the
position at Tehran
during March. To
wards the end of the month the late Minister
of Finance, Sani-ed-Dowleh, who is a promi
nent nationalist, and who in consequence
despairs of his life in Tehran, took refuge in
the British Embassy. Sir G. Barclay was
arranging to get him out of the country as
quickly as possible.
{Paragraph 12 of the Memorandum for
March and paragraph
situation at Ispahan. 1 of the Memorandum
for February 1909.)
At the beginning of April the Samsam
endeavoured to ascertain from His Majesty’s
Legation the real situation at Tabriz. Sir G.
Barclay, however, refused to comply with the
Samsam’s request. The Bakhtiaris at Ispahan
are said to have announced their intention of
starting for Tehran on the 20th. Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Assad,
with some 2,000 horse, was expected at
Ispahan about the 15th.
Towards the end of March riots occurred
a t Kermanshah direct-
ed principally against
Jews, several of whom were killed. One
house belonging to a British subject uas
looted by the troops.
{Vide paragraph 1 of the Memo-
«... . * ,. randum for March
1909.) The position at
Bushire during the first week in April grew
steadily more serious. The nationalists, who
had been unable to get rid of Saiyid Murtaza
or to bring him to reason, refused to associate
with him or to accept any responsibility for
his actions. The Saiyid, whose inability to
control the tufangchis was apparent, repudiated
responsibility for the preservation of order.
On the 7th April a part of the bazaar was
raided by the tufangchis and looted, and
disturbances again occurred on the 8th.
In reply to representations which he had
made to the Saiyid, Major Cox was informed
by him that efforts were being made to clear
the town of the men. These efforts proved
unsuccessful. In view of the pressing
representations of the Russian, German and
Turkish Representatives, Major Cox presented
an ultimatum to the Saiyid on the 9th