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File 3516/1914 Pt 14 'German War: Persia; general situation' [138r] (280/532)
The record is made up of 1 volume (261 folios). It was created in 8 Aug 1915-30 Nov 1915. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
Regarding Ms reference to breach of neutrality I told him I considered
e nmse 5 by holding' a public meeting in Lingeh at which he declared his
intention of fighting the British in the event of their landing troops, had done
his best to cause complication between our respective Governments. I drew
his attention to my letter No. 275, dated the 27th August 1915, a cony of
which I forwarded to you with my letter No. 277, dated the 28th August 1915.
Ihinking it possible that the Deputy Governor might be foolish enough
to attempt the release of the prisoner I gave orders for him to be embarked on
a
buggalow
Large trading vessel.
which was to be anchored outside the three-mile limit, there to
await the arrival of S. S. “ Chakdarra”. On arrival of the steamer I shall have
the prisoner put on hoard and conveyed to Bombay or elsewhere according to
instinotions which I may receive from you in reply to my telegram under
reference.
Haji Ali claims to be the offspring of a German mother (still alive and
residing in Germany) and a Moor father. He is fair, though now very sun
burnt, and has grey eyes and light hair. He speaks German, English, Persian
and Arabic fluently. He was formerly a professional acrobat but has been for
years in the service of Messrs. Wonckhaus and Company as interpreter. Haji
Ali is a clever scoundrel and must have been very useful to the Germans in
their attempts to stir up the Persians against us. As long ago as August 1914
he tried to bias the people of Lingeh against us and I was compelled to get the
late Deputy Governor to put up public notices warning the people not to
listen to him.
Prom the papers found on Haji Ali, it will be seen that he had been
appointed agent of the firm of Wonckhaus and Company with full powers.
The firm have still got a large quantity of goods and considerable outstandings,
and, according to Haji Ali’s own statement, he was instructed to collect and
remit all monies due to the firm to the German Consul at Shiraz.
Kaiyid Muhammad Hussain, who carried out the arrest, is a petty Tangi-
stani chieftain. He was up to quite recently employed as Bais of Tufangchis
at Bandar Abbas w hich position he resigned owing to a quarrel which he
had with some of the Deputy Governor's favourites. On my arrival in Lingeh
Kaiyid offered his services to us and as I liked his appearance and thought
he might be of use to us I promised to do what I could to get him
re-installed in Bandar Aboas. When I heard about Haji Ali’s movements I
sounded him and he readily agreed to arrest him and he went about it in a
workmanlike manner and with surprising secrecy. By his action Kaiyid has
certainly made enemies of the Germans and probably of his own tribe
and of the Persian authorities. As a reward for his services I have paid
him Kraus 800 (about Bs. 200) in addition to Krans 200 for miscellaneous
expenses, such as hire and feed of animals. I also promised to try and get
him the post of Bais of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company’s guard at Salakh.
This guard is at present supplied by the Deputy Governor, Bandar Abbas, with
whom I anticipate no difficulty in making the new arrrangement whereby
Kaiyid and his following of some ten men will find employment. I do not
consider Bs. 200 was an adequate reward for the services of Kaiyid and his
men, but 1 did not wish to spend more on him without sanction.
I would like to bring to your kind notice the valuable assistance rendered
to me in connection with this case by Khan Bahadur Agha Bedr and Assist
ant Surgeon Johnstone.
Sub-Enclosure.
Summary of Statement made by Haji Ali German!.
He travelled with Bohnstorff, Dr. Biakh, Yarulmick and Mirza Muham
mad Khan from Shiraz to Easa. Dr. Biakh and Yarulmick are Austrian
travellers engaged in making gramophone records and cinematograph films.
Mirza Muhammad Khan is an Indian anarchist. The Qawam-ul-Mulk
supplied the Austrians with an escort of 5 sowars because they were ordinary
travellers. The Qawam did not like the Germans. Ail the Deputy Governors
on the road treated the party with much honour.
About this item
- Content
The volume concerns the situation in south-western Persia during the First World War. The main focus is the British occupation of Bushire.
The volume covers:
- Attack on British Consulate at Ispahan, which resulted in the wounding of the Consul and the death of one of the Sowars employed as escorts at the Consulate.
- German activity in Persia; movements of German agents.
- Turkish officers in Persia.
- Possible Russian occupation of north-western Persia.
- Attitude of Persian Government and situation at Tehran and in the rest of Persia.
- Information suggesting that maps of Persia, Afghanistan and Mesopotamia were made available by the Germans to the Turks.
- Rumoured arrest of British Consul at Shiraz.
- Appointment of Darya Begi as Governor of Gulf Ports.
- Alarm caused by advance of Russian troops.
- Evacuation of British Consul from Kermanshah.
- Arrest of British subjects from Shiraz.
- Demands of Khans in return for the release of Shiraz prisoners.
The volume’s principal correspondents are: Charles Marling, British Minister at Tehran; British Consuls at Kerman (C T Ducat), Sistan and Kain (Francis Beville Pridaux), Isfahan (G Grahame), Khorasan, Yazd, Lingeh [Bandar Lengeh] (W R Howson); Percy Cox, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; Arthur Prescott Trevor, Deputy Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; Foreign Secretary to the Government of India; Thomas William Holderness and Arthur Hirtzel, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. ; War Office; Charles Hardinge, Viceroy of India; Walter Langley and Maurice de Bunsen, Foreign Office; War Office; George Buchanan, British Ambassador in Russia; Darya Begi; the American Embassy in London; the Adjutant General in India.
There is a letter in French, from the French Embassy in London; there is a translation of a newspaper article, from Jam-i-Jam.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (261 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 263; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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File 3516/1914 Pt 14 'German War: Persia; general situation' [138r] (280/532), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/490, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100044312164.0x000051> [accessed 5 October 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/490
- Title
- File 3516/1914 Pt 14 'German War: Persia; general situation'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:48v, 54r:89r, 95r:143v, 145r:263v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence