'Persia. No 2 (1909). Further correspondence respecting the affairs of Persia' [‎175r] (97/150)

other creditors, principally holders of unmet havalehs, have been examined. M. Bizot
has been shown a statement, according to which the outstanding havalehs previous to
1908 amounted to 540,000/. This sum must have increased since then, but there
would doubtless be considerable reductions on the examination of the claims of the
holders.
In conclusion, M. Bizot emphasizes the desirability oi the prompt appointment of
a European Treasurer-General.
I have, &c.
(Signed) G. BARCLAY.
No. 169.
Sir G. Barclay to Sir Edward Grey .— (Received April 13.)
gi r Tehran, March 23, 1909.
IN continuation of my despatch of the 23rd ultimo, I have the honoui to lepoit
on events at Resht during the past month as follows : _ .
As reported in my telegram of the 1 st March the Minister for Foreign Allans
communicated to me, in a note dated the 28th February, a telegram adchesse
by the Council of Ministers to the Ulema, Notables, and inhabitants of Ghilan
denouncing the Sipahdar, exhorting them to abstain from insurrection, and threatening
innocent and guilty alike with loss of life and property in the event of a concentration
of the Imperial forces on Resht to suppress the movement. .
On the 2 nd March the Acting Vice-Consul at Resht telegraphed that for the time
being there was no fresh development, but that twenty or thirty Caucasians arrived by
every steamer, and that the mail steamer due that day was expected to bung ty
Russian Cossacks as a Consulate guard. The guard did not, however, land until the
20 th March. On the 22 nd March I received a telegram from the provincial Assembly
of Ghilan, copies of which had been sent to the other foreign Representatives m
Tehran, reminding me of the constant efforts of the Nationalists to insure the safety of
foreign subjects. . , M1
In conclusion, I beg to transmit copy of a memorandum by Mr. Churchill reporting
on the situation and the control established by the Nationalists over the northern
portion of the Resht-Tehran road, along which he recently passed on his return from
Europe.
I have, &c.
(Signed) G. BARCLAY.
Inclosuie in No. 169.
Memorandum by Mr. Churchill.
WHEN I passed through Resht a few days ago I called on Serdar Homayun and
Serdar Motamid, from whom I received accounts of the events which occurred there on
and after the 8 th February last. I also called on Sipahdar, who had expressed a wish
to see me, hut a member of the revolutionary committee was present throughout the
It was made quite clear to me, both from what I saw myself and from the accounts
I received from various sources, that the entire movement at Resht was planned in the
Caucasus and carried out by a band of determined Caucasians not exceeding fifty in
number. These have been added to during the six weeks which have since elapsed, and,^
I was told, now number roughly 350. In the meantime a considerable number of
Persians who were in exile have come to Resht. Three brothers, the nephews of Serdar
Mansur, known respectively as Muiz-es-Sultan, Amid*es-Sultan, and Kenm Khan,
have throughout taken a very prominent part with the Caucasians.
The bazaars were open and trade was pursuing a normal course, Red nags were
displayed at nearly every house door, and those not flying the revolutionary emblem
either displayed a’ Russian or a Turkish flag, indicating that the inhabitants claimed
the protection of those Powers. I also observed two British flags.
Sipahdar in the course of conversation, declared that he was determined to support