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File 3516/1914 Pt 18 'German War: Persia; general situation - 1916' [‎89v] (189/368)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (175 folios). It was created in 17 Nov 1915-18 Feb 1916. It was written in English and French. 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. .

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4
Owing to unexpected arrival of Russian troops German plans which were
laid for early Spring have had to be hastened on but they still await arrival
artillery.
Von der Goltz is at Baghdad and will shortly move with 30,000 Turkish
troops to Kermanshah. He will be joined by German levies and Gendarmerie
and by considerable force contributed by Vali of Pusht-i-Kuh who has had gift
of 30,000 pounds and has been given three batteries 7*5 centimetre guns
and 12 Maxim guns brought in by Haupt.
In Sultanabad 170,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. were spent in about week.
Only w r eek ago there were at Sultanabad 3,000 Mujahids but most of them
left in direction of Hamadan near which place enemy have 20,000 men. Vice-
Consul passed between Sultanabad and Kum a party of 800 Mujahids.
Germans boast that Persia will have declared war on us in three weeks.
Eleven million marks have been brought in by Major Klein in gold. There
is no silver coinage in circulation there and even smallest transactions have
to be done in gold coin. Goltz’s kit (?) has arrived there while German Minister
is at Kermanshah.
As to minor events nearer Tehran there is some evidence of a skirmish
near Saveh. At Hasanabad Gendarmerie aro drilling daily and practising
musketry under Erick. They are being paid in gold coinage.
224
Telegram P., No. 533-F., dated the 15th (received 16th) December 1915.
From—His Majesty's Minister, Tehran,
To—The Secretary tc the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Depart
ment, Delhi.
(Addressed to Foreign Office. Sent to India and Petrograd.)
Persian Cabinet has decided to retain office and to endeavour to conciliate
public opinion with a statement (that ?) an offensive alliance against Turkey
is not contemplated.
I do (?) not think their efforts will do anything to improve situation, which
depends on success of operations of Russian General Officer Commanding.
Government is quite powerless. They cannot send message central and
southern provinces, telegraphs being in hands of Germans. Even if they
could their instructions are not obeyed.
Germans have a very considerable force of local levies of little or no
military value compared with their numbers, but by their means they control
all Persia south of Yezd, Kum, Sultanabad, Kermanshah line. Even north of
this line democrats(?) are so active in German interests that Government’s
authority is very slender, while south of it and in Kerman whole population
is cut off from all but German news as to events in and out of Persia. This
news is dressed up to suit German interests, and population is wholly under
German influence in consequence.
It is to be assumed therefore that German levies will be increased largely
(I know indeed for a fact a considerable force, including even Bakhtiari, has
started for Kum from Ispahan) so that it is probable enemy force may soon
reach a figure too great to be crushed at once by Russian General Officer Com
manding’s troops which have to operate over a very wide front and against
an enemy whose tactics will be to avoid actions of a decisive kind. It is most
necessary Mujahids and gendarmerie should be crushed before Turks appear, for
all south-west Persia will join them if only a quarter of 40,000 suggested by
my telegram No. 531 should reach Kermanshah. Ten thousand more Russian
troops in fact may be able to effect to-day what thrice that number will find
difficult in(?) spring or whenever Turks appear. It seems to me that Turks
will arrive betore spring. Although in these regions military operations are
difficult and sometimes impossible in winter their presence will attract recruits
and there will be time to give them organisations.
I would urge General Baratoff’s force be without delay considerably
increased.

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Content

The volume concerns the situation in Persia during the First World War. The main focus is the Persian protests against violation of their country's neutrality, British and Russian responses to Persian nationalism, and their attempts to influence the Shah and the Majlis deputies during the events that happened in November 1915.

The volume covers:

  • Advance of Russian troops on Kashan and Tehran.
  • Situation at Kermanshah between August and November 1915.
  • Dismissal of Swedish Commandment of Gendarmerie.
  • Persian Gendarmerie.
  • Arrest of the British Consul at Shiraz by Le Comité National pour la protection de l'Indépendance Persane in November 1915.
  • German and Turkish interests.
  • United States Minister at Tehran's attitude.
  • 'Report on the seizure of the Shiraz Colony' (ff 130-132).
  • Terms proposed by Khans for release of British prisoners at Shiraz.
  • Situation in Bushire.
  • British Consulate at Bunder Abbas moved to Kerman.
  • Kerman branch of Imperial Bank of Persia reported to have been looted.
  • Russian operations on the Caucasian and Persian fronts.
  • Report of Vice Consul on the evacuation of Hamadan.
  • Prisoners at Bushire and Shiraz.
  • Intercepted letter from Wilhelm Wassmuss to Helmuth Listemann, regarding British prisoners at Bushire.
  • Events in the provinces.
  • Capture of Turkish Ambassador at Tehran by the Russians.

The volume’s principal correspondents are: Charles Marling, British Minister at Tehran; Esme Howard, British Ambassador to Sweden; Bertie of Thame, British Ambassador to Italy; Mohtashem-es-Sultaneh, Persian Commissioner on the Turco-Persian Frontier; Alfred Hamilton Grant, Foreign Secretary to the Government of India; 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. ; British Consuls at Yazd, Kerman (C T Ducat), Sistan and Kain (Francis Beville Pridaux), Batoum (P Stevens), Hamadan (N Patrick Cowan), Shiraz (William Frederick Trevors O'Connor) ; American Minister at Tehran; 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. ; Edward Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; Shaikh Hussein of Chahkutah; Imperial Bank of Persia.

There is a document in French, an ultimatum addressed to the British Consul at Shiraz by Le Comité National pour la protection de l'Indépendance Persane. There are newspaper extracts, from Jam-e Jam', Tazineh, Tiflisky Listok, and Hayat.

Extent and format
1 volume (175 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 (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 175; 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. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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File 3516/1914 Pt 18 'German War: Persia; general situation - 1916' [‎89v] (189/368), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/493, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100044734590.0x0000be> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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