Coll 28/67 ‘Persia. Annual Reports, 1932–’ [‎21r] (41/644)

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no authority to settle doubtful points, and the slow progress made, rendered it
unnecessary to make any further communication to the Persian Government
during the year.
219. Captain Bomford completed his survey of an area stretching from 7 to
10 miles on either side of the frontier from Kuh-i-Malik Siah to pillar 11 on
the “ Holditch line ” (Gurani) by the 11th May, when he suspended his operations
fgji view of the approach of the hot weather. His main map was on the scale of
inches to 1 mile, and an additional map showed the Mirjawa area on the scale
of 2^ inches to 1 mile. In the meanwhile his Persian colleague, who was elderly
and not very robust, had begun a much more ambitious map on the scale of
1 :100,000 (about 1£ inches to 1 mile). It showed the flat ground very well, but
its author was disinclined to enter the mountains. When Captain Bomford left
on the 11th May his colleague had done little more than the area around Mirjawa,
but expressed his intention of completing the whole area between Kuh-i-Malik
Siah and Mirjawa before the end of May, which Captain Bomford thought
impossible. Captain Bomford considered it would be a tactful gesture, as well
as some insurance against error, if he were to give his Persian colleague a copy
of his own map, and the Government of India approved of this being done.
220. In his subsequent report, dated the 7th June, Captain Bomford made
some valuable observations upon the interpretation of the “ Holditch ” agreement
of 1896. He considered that the “ junction of the Talab and Mirjawa Rivers,”
undoubtedly meant the spot about 300 yards from the British post at Kila Safid
(Padaha) where the Ladis watercourse met the main Mirjawa-Talab watercourse,
though a more literal interpretation might place the spot further south, with
resultant loss of British territory; even the saner interpretation would place
Kila Safid just inside Persia. It was almost as difficult to decide upon the
“nearest point on the Mirjawa Kuh,” but a point 1 mile north-east of the
junction, at the foot of the nearest spur, was probably meant. By the “ water
shed of the Mirjawa Kuh ” the commissioners of 1896 probably meant the range
of highest peaks, one of which was stated to be on the boundary, though not
really on the watershed. A literal interpretation would save the British post of
Kacha, which otherwise became Persian territory, the line of peaks being to the
east of the watershed, but this might make it difficult to insist on a more rational
interpretation in the neighbourhood of Mirjawa.
221. The question of a possible cession of territory in Baluchistan as part
of the treaty negotiations was also considered during the year. His Majesty’s
Legation suggested tentatively that the frontier might be withdrawn (a) south
wards along the old caravan route running to the east of the Mirjawa range and
then along a line to the east of the Kuh-i-Rihi to pillar 11, or (b) southwards from
a point on the Afghan frontier roughly due north of pillar 11, to pillar 11,
leaving Nok Kundi on the frontier. The agent to the Governor-General saw
certain objections to both these lines, but thought that the frontier could be
withdrawn to a line running roughly northwards from Jizzak (a few miles east
of Mirjawa) to the Afghan frontier, without surrendering any territory of the
slightest value. The scheme was, however, dropped for political reasons.
222. In November three Persian officials proceeded to a point 2 miles east
of Kila Safid and there tried to arrest an Indian who was supposed to have
smuggled Persian currency past the customs post at Mirjawa on his way to India.
They desisted when the Indian’s companions invoked the assistance of the levy
guard at Kila Safid. A more serious incident at Pirau is dealt with separately.
223. The Persian Government had shown no sign of wishing to resume the
survey by the end of the year.
Extradition.
224. As a result of the case of Haji Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. Khan (see annual report for
1931, paragraph 216), His Majesty’s Minister suggested that it might help to
calm the suspicions of the Persian Government that refugees in Baluchistan
were not kept under adequate control if an arrangement of the following kind
were offered; whenever the Persian authorities informed the Baluchistan
authorities that a “ rebel ” had escaped to British territory the man would be
warned that, if he went back to Persia for any reason whatsoever and returned