Skip to item: of 804
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

File 3360/1916 Pt 1 'Persian correspondence (1916-17)' [‎269v] (543/804)

This item is part of

The record is made up of 1 volume (398 folios). It was created in 1916-1917. 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.

Apply page layout

84
Enclosure No. 1.
j,u Dated Chighakhur, the 27th September 1916.
From— Captain E. Nobl, His Britannic Majesty's Vice-Consul, Ahwaz,
To— Sir Charles Marling, K.C.M.G., C.B., &c., &c., His Britannic Majesty'*
Minister and Envoy Extraordinary, Tehran.
I have the honour to address you on the subject of Bakhtiari-Eussian
relations and the necessity of our taking some steps to control them.
The Russians have now occupied Ispahan for some nine months, but so
far their effective jurisdiction extends to within but a few miles of the town.
The remainder of the 60 odd miles of Ispahan territory up to the Bakhtiari
border, is controlled by bands of brigands. It may be looked on as a neutral
sphere dividing Russians and Bakhtiaris, but into which both parties occasion
ally penetrate. In this area collisions have at times occurred between Russian
troops and Bakhtiaris, but on the whole it may be said that that the existence
of this *one has prevented friction arising between the two parties. This
state of affairs cannot, however, continue indefinitely. The Russians are at
present busy raising a force of Persian Cossacks in Ispahan and in time they
will be in a position to extend their control up to the Bakhtiari border.
When this comes to pass there will inevitably arise a crop of incidents such as
the escape of malefactors and political suspects into Bakhtiari territory,
boundary disputes, claims against Bakhtiaris, &c., &c. As a case in point I
would mention that of Dr. Assadullah, a physician to the Bakhtiari Khans.
This individual is wanted by the Russian authorities, Ispahan, who have
announced their intention of hanging him if he should fall into their hands.
I feel sure that under present circumstances it would not be possible to persu
ade the Khans to hand him over. It would be folly to expect that with
the present mutual attitude of suspicion and ill-feeling between the two
parties similar incidents likely to arise in the future, will be settled without
a dangerous amount of friction. Even if Russian-Bakhtiari relations become
normal, we shall still be confronted with the fact that a powerful, well
organised administration is in contact with a weak and ill organised one.
Under these circumstances it would seem inevitable that the Russians will
be forced to interfere sooner or later in Bakhtiari country.
In my previous despatches* and telegrams I have indicated four measures
• Vide Serial Nor. 308 «nd 35S in Part IX; also which, in my Opinion, WOllld tend tO
Serial No. 25 current and letter ou pages 22 and 23 remedy this state of affairs. I will
of nole8- again enumerate them in what I consider
their order of relative importance.
(1) Posting a small regular force in Chahar Mahal. (This would seem
only necessary as long as Turks remain in Persia or until measure No. (2),
referred to in the next paragraph, begins to materialize.)
(2) Formation of a Bakhtiari police force under British officers.
(11) Strengthening hands of Illkhani and Ulbegi so as to enable them
to deal with Bakhtiari internal situation.
(4) Effecting a formal reconsiliation between the Zill-es-Sultan and the
Bakhtiari Khans.
At one time it seemed to me that the adoption of course (3) might prove
t Serial No. 3(3 in p.rt ix. sufficient, but since my recent,t risit to
Ispahan, and my conversations with
Russian authorities there, I see little hopes of the Bakhtiaris themselves being
able to work out their own salvation. The Russians have suspicions that we
are shielding the Bnkhtiari Khans for the furtherance of our own political ends
and our support of men like Amir Mujahid, against whom the Russians have
definite evidence, certainly lends colour to those suspicions. Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Muhta-
sham, though loyal to us, ready to do what he is told and from our point of
view probably the best man at present in Bakhtiari for the post of Illkhani,
is nevertheless not a strong man. It must also be remembered that in view of
the strong anti-Russian and anti-Zill-es-Sultan feeling that exists, it is
\
\

About this item

Content

The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, and memoranda, comprising miscellaneous correspondence on British involvement in Persia in the period 1916-17.

Topics discussed include:

  • the activities of the German Vice-Consul, Bushire, Wilhelm Wassmuss, including reports of an attack on him (folio 312)
  • an account of the escape of German and Austrian prisoners (folio 281)
  • translations of letters from German prisoners transferred from Shiraz to Russia (ff 43-48) including a translation of Dr Zugmeyer's diary
  • discussion of German and Russian activities in Persia
  • tables, statistics and reports on troop numbers and weaponry, deployments, military engagements and casualties
  • British relations with local chiefs and their dealings with the Germans and Russians
  • transcripts of local newspaper articles on various topics including the Russian Revolution (folio 136v)
  • discussion of money required to pay to tribes
  • miscellaneous Army Department memoranda
  • general reports on the political and military situation in Persia including the 'Bakhtiari country' (ff 320-321)

The file is mainly divided into sections on events by weekly date period. Correspondents include: the Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Department; HBM Minister, Tehran (Sir Charles Marling); HBM Consul, Bundar Abbas [Bandar Abbas]; HBM Consul, Shiraz; HM Consul-General, Meshed; HM Consul for Kerman and Persian Baluchistan, (David Lockhart Robertson Lorimer); HBM Vice-Consul, Ahwaz (Captain Edward Noel); HM Consul-General, Isfahan; General Officer Commanding, Sistan Field Force; The General Staff, South Persia Rifles, Shiraz; the Inspector-General, South Persia Rifles (Brigadier-General Sir Percy Molesworth Sykes); Chief of the General Staff, Simla; Chief of the Imperial General Staff, London; the 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 the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Bushire; and the 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. , Bushire.

Each part includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (398 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file. The subject 3360 (Persian Correspondence) consists of three volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/612-614. The volumes are divided into three parts, with each part comprising 1 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 400; 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. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out

Written in
English in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

File 3360/1916 Pt 1 'Persian correspondence (1916-17)' [‎269v] (543/804), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/612, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100044323283.0x000090> [accessed 28 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100044323283.0x000090">File 3360/1916 Pt 1 'Persian correspondence (1916-17)' [&lrm;269v] (543/804)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100044323283.0x000090">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x0001fb/IOR_L_PS_10_612_0543.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x0001fb/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image