Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎89r] (177/807)

3
10. National Defence.
A Council of National Defence has been created under the presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. of His
Imperial Majesty the Shah. It will be composed of all the Cabinet Ministers
and the Chief of the General Staff. It will meet only by the order of the Shah.
11. The Iranian Navy.
Lieutenants Bayendor and Mohammad Ardali have left Iran for Italy to
undergo a course of instruction with the Royal Italian navy.
\'2. Chinese Interests.
A Chinese Mahometan delegation consisting of five, under the leadership of
Jalal-ud-Din, member of the Chinese Parliament, have arrived in Iran. They
have recently visited Mecca, Egypt and Iraq and are now on the way to
Afghanistan and India.
13. Buildings.
(i) A large paper mill is being planned for Isfahan with a subscribed capital
of 4 million tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. (£500.000). Messrs. Ferrostahl, of Germany, are to supply
the machinery and other appliances required. The company's specialists are
already in Isfahan studying conditions, &c.
(ii) Reference Intelligence Summary No. 11 (current), paragraph 11 (i). The
two grain silos of 16.000 tons capacity at Isfahan and Tabriz have practically
been completed. The one at Tehran of 65,000 tons capacity is also nearing
completion. This silo will be capable of milling, by electrical energy. 100 tons of
flour every twenty-four hours.
(iii) This year also work has commenced on the construction of the silos at
Kermanshah and Shiraz, and the foundations of the silos at Meshed and Ahwaz
have been excavated. All these silos are of 16.000-ton capacity and are of the
most modern design.
14. 7 own Lighting.
The street lighting of Tehran is being rapidly reorganised and improved.
Thousands of locally-made cement lamp standards have been ordered and many
are already in position. The equipment is supplied by Skodas.
The light given is very strong and a great improvement on the old system.
Electric current is said to be now supplied to private users at 2 rials (6^.) per unit
against the Legation charge of 5 rials (Is. I 3d.) per unit!
15. Automatic Telephones.
According to a press report, 6.000 Siemens-Halske automatic telephone
instruments have been ordered by the Tehran Telephone Company.
16. Broadcasting.
(i) The Telefunken Company of Germany have offered to install free a small
broadcasting apparatus at Tehran. They are also reported to have secured the
contract for refitting the wireless station at Qasr Kajar near Gulhaq.
(ii) According to a report from Kabul, the Soviet Government have recently
begun to broadcast short programmes in Persian to Afghanistan.
17. German Interests.
It is reliably reported that over thirty German and Austrian engineers and
expert technicians have recently been recalled to Greater Germany, where it is
rumoured there is a shortage of engineers. One von Rabatsehwitz, an Austrian
engineer, is said to have been sent specially to Tehran by the German Government
to make arrangements for the calling up of these Austrian and German engineers.
There are approximately 200 German and Austrian engineers in Iran.
18. Tobacco Monopoly.
Di. Fi iedlieb, the director of the 1 obacco Monopoly, on his return from
Germany was informed that he would in future be subordinate to the Iranian
board of directors. Dr. Friedlieb resigned. He is still in Tehran.