File 3360/1916 Pt 1 'Persian correspondence (1916-17)' [‎280r] (564/804)

1
With Captain Noel.- Persian officer 1, rank and file 1, follower 1, horse 1
At Zarand. —Levies 62.
At Baft. —Levies 87.
At Bunder Abbas.-Knlhh officer 1, British other ranks 1; Indians-rank
known* ^' l er9ianS ~ 0ffiCerS 2 ’ rank ar| d Ale 47, followers, Ws e.c. un-
Near Bunder ^^Telegraph escort : British officer 1: Indians—
officer 1, rank and file 3; Persians—officer I, rank and file 42
En route/rora Bunder Abbas to Norman -Indians-officer 1, rank and
file 3; Persians—rank and file 8, camels, hired, 160.
In Fars.— Under process of being taken oyer at Shiraz. On Shiraz-Bushire
fi? 9 i ; 1 ( f z : A ,adeh roads : British officers 2; Persians—officers 78, rank and
file 2,178, ciyil employees 159, horses 484, mules 34, mountain guns 2, Schneider
field gun, artillery ammunition (486?), rounds, maxims 2(?) small arms am
munition 360,000 rounds, rifles 1,658, bombs 100, swords 86, saddles (?) 254.
, 5 , With reference to telegram from Foreign No. 1571 Est.-A, distribution
(?) South Persian Rifles, see my 693-0. of September a8th for changes since
mj last report. °
Weldon and Connolly at Shiraz. Lilly Maohan and Jelly en route from
Ahwaz to Ispahan, probably near Jam. Williams awaiting orders at Ahwaz.
(Butters ?) to accompany drafts to Ispahan and Shiraz. Hunter Thorburn
and Wittkngel en route to Shiraz. Durham reverted to regimental employ
lies under orders for Shiraz. ^
Addressed Chief of the General Staff; repeated Tehran.
172
Telegram, No, 908-C., dated the 3rd (received 4th) November 1916.
From— Brigadieb-Gkneral Sir P. M. Sikfs, K.C.I.E., C.M.G., Shiraz,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Lenart.
ment, Simla. ^
Column arrived Khanehkergun, 3rd November.
173
Telegram, No. 912, dated the 4th November 1916.
From— Brigadier-General Sir P. M. Sykes, K.C.I.E., C.M.G., Shiraz,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Depart
ment, Simla. ^
Column arrived Madarisuliman, 4th.
174
Telegram P., No. 5742, dated the 5th (received 6th) November 1916.
From—The Chief Political Officer, Basrah,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Depart
ment, Simla.
My telegram 5502 of Qctober 27th. Noel sends following :— Begin*. Your
telegram No. 5506. Occupation of Tembih in my opinion is unlikely to have
any immediate effect on our relations with Khans. It is, however, likely to
aggravate procession of Bakhtiari percolation to Turks which is tending to set
in and in event of further adverse developments of Bakhtiari situation vis-a-vis
Russians and Zil«es-Sultan it is difficult to foresee what its effect would be.
Mohtashim is continually reverting to question of assistance against Kuhgelus
and if there is any possibility of such assistance being afforded, this might
offer pretext for move.
I may again repeat that feeling here is chiefly anti-Russian and anti-Zil- f
es-Sultan and although an open breach with Russians might eventually make
itself felt in low country we could nevertheless count upon receiving very ‘
ample warning before it did so.
Addressed Basrah; repeated Tehran. Ends.