File 3516/1914 Pt 5 'German War: Persia; situation in Arabistan 1915' [‎12v] (29/404)

■BW'TWf"
18
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 were 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. 3
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 telegraph
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-
The Governor-General also wrote me that he had been 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
md two or three Persian Telegraph clerks.
the Inspector of Posts {vide page I) and
that w'eTa^onTln C w ^ OU 1, St0r ?. list8 showin S the instruments and stores
that we had on hand, but when the list was produced they said that it was
aud de “ al ; ded a summar y- Finally, the number of instruments on
each table was counted and entered on a form, thus :
and so on. 6 d ° Uble Cim ' ent translation table witb (so many) instruments”
commi Wee of "Millet ” ^ lDSpeCt0r ° f P ° Sts ‘ 0 be si S“ ed b ? the s »P™me
•Mil^n^,“tX^ Ught b y k and re,urned 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 wW should tLy give y/u receipt, ? ”
Mr Chase, after taking a list of the contents, sealed up the instrument
cupboards But the Inspector of Posts broke the seals, saying " We wTsea
things up if we wish them sealed ^ 3 W1U seal
At the first test on this morning the lines were found to be interrunted
quite close to Herman and the Gholam (Lineman) had been sent out P He
returned about noon in a very bedraggled condition, limpin- and Ids clothes
badly torn and bringing with him a lar^e cloth full nf i i c • , cAot
shawls with which the wires had been tied Aether
beaten and abused bv men watching the line and tnl 1 ti ^ ^ eeri
if he again ventured under the line. 0 After this we a "In 6 wo “ ld be ^ ot
Sub-Section Gholams, who did not venture near us aimin'^ 01 l^n 1° • the . V * th
instrument room where the committee was assembled°and inti- I ° 1 'i"' t0 t 'o
his load as the first fruits of the " Millet ” in Kerman »na d , Ut ? , and
acumen in expecting to earn revenue from a Teleirrknh if" ex f'! n l ll< ' of tllp ^
ordeiei to be destroyed. lele S rd P h which they had
The day was spent in sending to the Consulate tenfs nn/l ct j *
of the reco.ds and books, also pads and other stores likelv ^heT f f"''"’
Sistan. M, Cane cleverty concLled the l.depart^nunln^Vmut^d