File 3516/1914 Pt 9 'German War: Persia' [‎127v] (259/618)

In the past it has been invariably practice to warn villages before bom.
bardment by His Majesty’s ship(s) in order to give women and children tj me
to clear. 1 think standing orders of the Navy are to this effect. It was done
on previous occasion, when Dilwar was bombarded, and I specifically instructed
Trevor, on August 3rd, that “ warning of bombardment should issue
104
Telegram P., No. 516 C., dated (and received) the 2nd September 1915.
From— Major A. P. Trevor, C.I.E., Officer on Special Duty in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
13 us hire,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Depart
ment, Simla.
Please refer to Foreign and Political Department’s telegram No. 891 S.
The balance lying to the credit of Bushire customs revenue account and general
revenue account amounts to a sum of Tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. one hundred and seven thousand
odd which is equivalent to about £16,500. The indemnity charges of £10,700
could, therefore, be met from balance in hand, but it would make a big hole
in funds here and unless occupation is to terminate almost immediately we
should probably find ourselves in monetary difficulties at Bushire.
Bepeated to Mr. Marling and Sir P. Gox.
108
Telegram P., No. 114, dated the 2nd (received 3rd) September 1915.
From—His Britannic Majesty’s Minister, Tehran,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Depart
ment, Simla.
Please refer to your telegram No. 241 regarding Bushire. This morning
I saw the Prime Minister, i said that as anticipated by me the solution he
had suggested could not be accepted by xais Majesty’s Government, but 1 was
glad to Know that a proposal practically indentical with one i now brought
with me had been put forward by the Persian Minister in London.
The dismissal of the Governor-General of Ears as a necessary condition
of the restoration of Persian Civil authority in Bushire was agreed to by ills
Highness without very serious demur, but he then boggled over the punish
ment of the Khans and insisted that our troops should be withdrawn at an
early date. He would not promise that further punishment should be meted
out to the Tufangchis who had actually tahen part in attach and in regard to
the Khans who were responsible for it be would give no kind of promise. As
regards the troops he said they must be withdrawn in order to appease public
opinion. The news of an attempt on the life of the Consul-General at
Ispahan was icceived by me at about this point. I at once communicated the
imormation to His Excellency and pointed out to him that the public opinion
he wished to placate w as that which had brought about occurrences such as
this. It was the opinion aroused and paid for by German gold and to his
making any concession to it I could not consent. Until all danger was past
tne British troops must remain. Gendarmes would, His Excellency said, be
sent to which I replied that he w'as setting wolves to guard His Maiesty’s
Representative and tnat the suggestion would not be entertained for a moment.
Especially in view of the attaoK on the Consul-General I consider His Excel
lency’s objections as tantamount to a refusal to give us any satisfaction and
as an inaication that there is no intention on the part of the Eersian Govern
ment to carry out the policy of neutrality which tney have so often proclaimed
and 1 regret to have to telegraph to this effect to you. The attempt at
Ispahan was, I warned His Excellency, the fourth of a series of attempts on
the tousulai Officeis of tne two Bowers for which no adequate satisfaction
had as yet been given. It revealed a most serious situation and the Persian
Government had now to make the choice as to whether or not they were going
to permit the achievement by the Germans of their object of making our