File 3516/1914 Pt 18 'German War: Persia; general situation - 1916' [‎57r] (122/368)

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there. They had met and dined with Angmann at Sivend the night of the
Shiraz affair. He apparently knew what was going on in Shiraz and was
recalled that night (I will get more details about tins). ^ te ? w ^J ds v
Mrs, Christmas was at Shiraz Angmann told her that he had had Mackertic
shot one hour after his arrival in Shiraz for “ treachery to the Gendarmerie .
O She adds that Samadagha Russian subject or prote-e of Shiraz was forced
to pay Tumans 20,000. She confirms information regarding II. Malcolm and
says Zeytoon w r as let off being fined on his explaining that he was not a I3n is i
subject.
Hr. Azzopardy and Mrs. Christmas were told they were free but were,
in spite of this, brought dow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. r n to Ahram, but were well treated and had a
comfortable journey.
Mrs Christmas spent 2 days at Ahram with prisoners and says they are
well treated and as comfortable as circumstances will permit (which is not
much) and all w r ell except O’Connor who is not very fit. M assmuss was
there and was very polite.
Addressed Tehran, repeated Basrah and India (by post).
Enclo. 3 to Serial No. 253.
No. Cf.-439, dated Bushire, the 13th December 1915.
;p rom —Major A. P Trevor, C.I.E., 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. , Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. , Political Department, Bombay.
I have the honour to forw r ard herewith a copy (together with a translation)
of a letter from Herr Wassmuss to Doctor Listemann, lately German Consul at
Bushire, and now interned at Ahmednagar I understand.
It will probably be within your knowledge that Herr M assmuss who had
been acting German Consul at Bushire, returned to Germany just before the
war began. The war broke out before he got home, and I understand the ship
he was°on was detained a short time at Port Said, but he was able to get
through to Germany wdth the German Consular Officials from Egypt. Aitei
a short stay in Berlin he was sent out to the East vid Constantinople and
Baghdad in charge of a special mission to excite enmity and hatred against the
British in Persia, Afghanistan and India, and if possible work up the Muham
madan Clergy to preach jehad. He brought with him two or three Indian
seditionists and a lot of seditious literature and pamphlets m the principal
Indian languages. He arrived in Arabistan via Pusht-i-Kuh at the beginning
of the year and as he was obviously violaiing the neutrality of 1 ersia and no
steps w r ere taken by the Persian Government to stop him an attempt was mac e
to arrest him, this failed but his Doctor—the Dr. Linders alluded to m t e
letter—was arrested and the papers, etc , with the mission seized.
Subsequently Wassmuss turned his attention to stirring up the tribes
in the hinterland to attack Bushire, and since May last has devoted almost
the whole of his energies, expended large sums of money, and distributed
large quantities of arms and ammunition with this object. He has, as is
wefl known, achieved considerable success.
He has now got wdiat he considers a trump card in the shape of the
British Consul and Colony from Shiraz who were arrested on the 10th
November by the Gendarmerie, wdio had long been rabidly pro-German anc
now, having apparently heard that the Persian Government was swinging to
the side of the Allies, have openly declared with the Germans and revolted
against their own Government. The Shiraz Colony consisting of A ajor
O’Connor, C.I.E., the Consul, and seven men are now at Ahram in dan gist an
in charge of Herr Wassmuss and two local Khans Zair Khidhar and Shaikh
Husaim These persons wish to use their captives either to exchange with
Germans and Persians arrested on Persian soil, or at least as a means ot
getting concessions a, to the treatment of the latter. With these preliminary
remarks, for the length of which I apologize, especially as much of this is
ancient history, I come to Herr Wassmuss’ actual letter. It js misleading in
many respects and should, in my opinion, be censored before delivery.