File 3516/1914 Pt 9 'German War: Persia' [‎263r] (530/618)

offered by us and by evading compliance with onr demands in regard to Mukhbar-es-
Sultaneli at Shiraz, and the murder of von fCaver at Ispahan, &c. In short, he has tried
to persuade the Democrats, by neither receiving favours from us nor making concessions
to us, that ne is no partisan or tool of Russia and Great Britain. As I suggested in
the first sentence of this report, Ain-ed-Dowleh’s conduct has been a constant puzzle
us, _ and usually an unsatisfactory puzzle, but, with the certainty that any
anconsidere-a action on 0111 pait might bring about his oft-threatened resignation and
the formation of a still less satisfactory Cabinet, the Russian Minister and I have
thought it better not to press his Highness too far for fear of disturbing his nicely
poised equilibnum, and I am by no means sure also that Am-ed-Dowleh has not
endeavoured, always with an eye to placating the Democrats, to “squeeze” us, if I
may be permitted the expression, under the impression, of which I have often
endeavoured to disabuse him, that the neutrality of Persia is of more value to us than
to herself. However this may be, even Ain-ed-Dowleh himself has been, as it seems
to me, at last brought to see that his indecision in deference to the Germanophile
Democrats was bringing the country dangerously near the verge of disaster, and that
something more than remonstrance, however energetic, to Prince Renss were necessary.
At all events, during the last ten days he has used such insistence that the German
Legation has consented to recall Wassmuss, in return, it is true, for the recognition by
the Persian Government, hitherto refused, of a German vice-consul at Shiraz, and has
issued stringent orders to the Governors of Kirman and Birjand to hold up and send
back to Tehran the German emissaries who are on their way to those places, orders
which, so long as Harman Farma remains at the Ministry of the Interior, 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-Zafar
and Shaukat-ul-Mulk, who are well-disposed to us, can be stimulated into carrying out.
Ain-ed-Dowleh has even gone further, and has actually caused a German agent
proceeding to Meshed to be stopped by the Governor of Damghan, his followers
disarmed and himself sent back to Tehran. A general instruction has also been
issued to the Governors of the provinces to disarm the armed retainers of all consuls
except, of course, the Cossack guards of the Russian consuls and our Indian escorts—
and in particular the numerous Mujahids recruited by the Germans at Ispahan, for
which purpose some 500 gendarmes have been already drafted to that town and a
further 300 are to be sent. . .
I cannot say how long this display of energy will continue ; it may only be a
readjustment of the scale that has been too long weighed down on the German-
Democrat side ; but whatever its motives, unless we are prepared to adopt the direct
methods of the Indian Government as described m their telegram No. 618
the 1st July, we have no alternative but to endeavour to see that this new vigour
maintained. p have> &c .
C. M. MARLING.