'Persia. No 1 (1909). Correspondence respecting the affairs of Persia, December 1906 to November 1908' [‎112r] (207/236)

excited the utmost indignation among the revolutionaries, and was taken as a proof of
the impossibility of placing any confidence in the good faith of the authorities.
Fighting was consequently resumed on the 7th.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CHARLES M. MARLING.
No. 252.
Mr. Marling to Sir Edward Grey.—{Received September 28.)
Sir, Gulahek, September 10, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to report that for some time past there have been several
refugees at His Majesty’s Consulate at Shiraz. These persons, the first of whom,
Hussein, son of Naib-es-Sadr and nephew of Hajji Ali Agha, leader of the Anjuman-i-
Islamie of Shiraz, went to the Consulate on the 22nd July, have been driven to take
sanctuary by the action of the Deputy Governor, 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. -i-Eiruz, who has been in
charge of the province pending the arrival of Asef-ed-Dowleh, the Governor-General.
Hussein was shortly after followed by Mirza Kassim Khan, brother of the late
Motamed-i-Divan. These persons stated that, in spite of the amnesty issued by the
Shah to all political offenders, they had every reason to fear the action of 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. -i-
Eiruz against them and Kassim Khan, who received a promise from the Deputy
Governor that his life would be respected upon payment of a bribe of 1,700 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value.
and horses to the value of 2,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , was subsequently handed over to Kawami
sowars who were removing him from Shiraz, when he escaped and went to the
Consulate.
Other refugees followed during the month of August, but some, including the
son of Naib-es-Sadr, were induced to leave.
The most serious case has been that of Kassim Khan for, during his stay in His
Majesty’s Consulate, the spoliation of his family and the plundering of his property
has been carried out under the orders of the Deputy Governor.
The present condition of insecurity in the whole province and the total lack of
confidence in the guarantees of the Deputy Governor make it impossible to induce
Kassim Khan to put faith in the local authorities, and he now desires to leave Persia
by Bushire, whither he would accompany Major Cox upon his return to that place.
It is clear that so long as the Deputy Governor, who is a notoriously unprin
cipled ruffian, is allowed to remain at Shiraz he will lose no opportunity of filling his
pockets by threatening and plundering persons who have reason to think that their
political opinions may lead them into danger.
I have repeatedly represented to the Persian Government the most serious effect
which the presence of such an unscrupulous and incompetent official as 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. -i-Eiruz
has throughout his tenure of office proved himself to be must have in the province,
and have urged most strongly that he should be removed and that Asef-ed-Dowleh
may arrive at his post with as little delay as possible. In spite of the assurances of
the Minister for Foreign Affairs, his Excellency, though on his way to Shiraz, has not
yet arrived at his post.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CHARLES M. MARLING.
No. 253.
Mr. Marling to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received September 28.)
gi rj Gulahek, September 10, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the
5 th instant, in which you were so good as to inform me in what circumstances and on
what conditions His Majesty’s Government would be willing, as was contemplated in
1906, to make, with Russia, a joint advance of 400,000Z. to the Persian Government.
I fear that there, is little likelihood that the Financial Adviser will be in a position
to justify such an advance within the immediate future. When, about two months ago,
the possibility of an advance from Great Britain and Russia was first mooted, the
Shah’s advisers, who were so elated at the prospect of having a substantial sum on
which to lay their hands, were ready to promise to abide by any conditions that might