File 3516/1914 Pt 1 'German War: Persian attitude towards Turkey' [‎21r] (50/340)

CONFIDENTIAL.
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PERSIA
Sir W. Townley to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received December 19, 10*20 p.m.)
{No. 379.)
Tehran, December 19, 1914.
(December 19, 11'35 p.m.)
SIR G. BUCHANAN’S telegram No. 806 of 16tli December : Persia.
FarmanFarma read me yesterday a letter from bis estate agent at Soujboulak dated
ten days ago. He said that a Turkish force of 300 men had arrived with some 600
Turkish Kurds, hut that they had not succeeded in making any recruits among the
tribesmen. This report confirms information received from other sources that there
is no great danger of a serious Turkish incursion, and it is hard to see where the
50,000 men mentioned in the Russian aide-memoire were to come from.
Modern Persia has never seen such a force assembled, and thousands here generally
become hundreds or even tens on closer scrutiny.
It is true that one cannot claim much strength for present Cabinet {I dubbed it
weak when formed), but I cannot see any sort of ground for suspicion that it has any
sympathy with Turkey, and I have no hesitation in asserting that Mutessarif of Kerkuk
had no reason for saying that Turkish troops had crossed the frontier with the consent
of the Persian Government. As soon as Turkey’s incursion was reported here, a
strong protest was addressed to Turkish Ambassador and to Turkish Government
through Persian Ambassador at Constantinople.
The Petrograd Cabinet does not appear to be aware that there is strong feeling
here in favour of German-Turks.
This has so far been successfully muzzled by efforts of Cabinet, which cannot in justice
be called ill-intentioned towards us and which shows but little trace of general hatred
of Russia and her policy in Persia which is felt here by all classes, even by those who
for private reasons have to appear well disposed towards Russia.
It is possible that a Cabinet such as M. Sazonof_ desires may be formed in due
time, but anything in the nature of high-handed action such as would appear to be
intended in last three paragraphs of Sir G. Buchanan’s telegram is, in my opinion,
much to be deprecated at a moment when a spark would suffice to ignite a popular
conflagration against a Cabinet which refuses to listen to the daily appeals of the
sacred men of Nedjef and Kerbela.
Present rumour that German Emperor and his people have embraced Islam is
believed by many.
(Repeated to Petrograd.)
[1172—797]