File 1110/1916 Pt 2 'Persia: SITUATION Miscellaneous' [‎76v] (157/276)

18
.'i
H 1
I intimated that I wished to proceed to Sistan with all the telegraph staff.
The Governor-General said that this was rather difficult as only camels could
go that way and his sowars would not be able to accompany us. Moreover, the
Baluchis w 7 ere raiding, and the presence of our large party would be sure to
attract them, but he would see what could be done in the matter. #
At the Consul’s request, Mr. Taylor and I conveyed the news to the other
Europeans that we were to clear up and to assemble at the Consulate with
whatever luggage we wished to take with us.
Section III.
The Evacuation.
The remainder of Sunday was spent in collecting and arranging for the
disposal of Government and private property. Mr. Chase took down and
packed all the instruments except the set actually working, the intention bein^
to take them with us to Sistan.
On Monday morning, December 13th, soon after I reached the office a
deputation from the “ Millet ” came to me with a note from the Governor-
General saying that this committee had been sent to take over the tele°raph
office from me, and requesting that I would hand over everything.
Similar letters and deputations were sent to the Manager of the Bank, the
Doctor of the C. M. S. hospital, and the Master of the C. M. S. school. The
Karguzar and others took over the Imperial Bank. The Bais-i-Mo’aref took
over the C .M. S. school, and another committee took over the C. M. S. hospi
tal.
The Governor-General also wrote me that he had heen informed that I
had caused several of the instruments to be dismantled and requested me to
replace them on the table to save trouble with tiie “ Millet ”.
I had no option but to acquiesce.
The committee appointed to take over the Telegraph Office consisted of
the Inspector of Posts {vide page 1) and two or three Persian Telegraph clerks.
av l r f ( l u ^ e ^ a , c ,°Py 011r store list 8 showing the instruments and stores
that we had on hand, but wffien the list was produced they said that it was
too derailed and demanded a summary. Finally, the number of instruments on
eacn table was counted and entered on a form, thus:
One double current translation table with (so many) instruments ,,
and so on.
comm “f ‘• Miner” ^ ° f P ° Sts *° be si ^ ed b y the
« day u it was brou " ht back and returned to me with the remark “ The
Millet say that they have not given receipts for anything they have taken
over, not even the money in the Bank, so why should they give you receipts?”
Mr. Chase, after taking a list of the contents, sealed up the instrument
cupboards. But the Inspector of Posts broke the seals, saying " We will seal
things up if we wish them sealed
At the first test on this morning the lines were found to be interrupted
quite close to Kerman and the Gholam (Lineman) had been sent out. He
returned about noon in a very bedraggled condition, limping and his clothes
badiy torn and bringing with him a large cloth full of broken insulators and
shawls with winch the wires had heen tied together. He said that he had been
beaten and abused by men watching the line, and told that he would be shot
it e again ventured under the line. (After this we saw nothing of the YIth
Sub-Section Gholams, who did not venture near us again.) I took him to ti e
instrument room where the committee was assembled, and introduced him and
his load as the first fruits of the “ Millet ” in Kerman, and an example of their
acumen in expecting to earn revenue from a Telegraph line which they had
ordered to be destroyed. J
a he day was spent in sending to the Consulate tents and stores and a few
of the records and books, also pads and other stores likely to be useful in
oistan. Mr. Cane cleverly concealed the 12 departmental rifles in a tent and