Reports and Correspondence Relating to Persia, Including Trade and Trade Routes in Persia [‎111r] (221/252)

r
Diary No. 10 of Major R. A. E, BENN, His Britannic Majesty’s Vice-
Consul for Seistan and Kain, for period 1st to 17th June 1901.
f. The past fortnight has again been marked by the efforts of the Russian
Vice-Consul to accomplish what he has been steadily working for si~.ce my
arrival here, Wj., the destruction of our prestige and the dissolution of our
friendly relations with the Amir Hashmat-ul-Mulk. To effect this object he
has had many irons in the fire, and it has been somewhat uphill work trying to
parry the repeated blows he has been dealing. The latter have been directed
mainly at our building operations and the trade route ; while, by the tacit en
couragement of pettv insults to British subjects on the part of the Persian
soldiery,—insults which have necessitated repeated applications to the Amir for
redress,—he has hoped to bring about a breach of my friendship with the Amir.
2. In a former Diary I reported that our traders were being prevented from
erecting shops both inside and outside the city ; but that no actual withdrawal
of our masons and local coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. had taken place. By hook or by crook I had
managed to circumvent the obstruction and quietly continue the building.
On the 2nd June I received letters from Colonel Chenevix-Trench, enclosing
copies of despatches received from H. B. M’s Minister at Tehran, to the effect
that orders had been sent direct to Seistan to allow British Indian traders to
acquire land and erect shops. These orders, however, have not yet reached
the Amir direct from Tehran, though three posts have already been received from
Meshad.
3. I have been engaged in erecting some godowns for supplies, and burning
bricks for the new Vice-Consulate. On the 4th June two out of the four masons
employed on this work were removed by the Amir’s orders. On the yth the
remaining two were ordered away. I have been unable to obtain any masons
since then and work has been at a standstill.
4. On the 9th June the Meshad post arrived. 1 here w’as a letter from Teh
ran for the Amir in the Vice-Consulate bag. In the evening I sent my Munshi A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf. ,
Gul Mahomad Khan, to visit the Amir’s Nazar and enquire about the stoppage
of our work. The Nazar said that no orders had reached the Amir. When the
Munshi A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf. pointed out that permission for us to build had been arrangea between
the British and Persian Governments at Tehran, and that the Mushir-ud-Dowlah
had informed H. B. M’s a in’ster that orders would be sent direct to the ronir
authorizing him to grant us that permission, the Nazar hinted that Persian offici
als had a trick of sending two letters by the same post one to give the promised
order, and the other to nullify it.
5. On the 10th June I had an interview with the Amir. He also told me
that he had received no permission to allow us to build and he sent for the letter
he had received from Tehran to show me. It contained instructions for him
to undertake the immediate repair of the guns in the fort. I asked him if he
was aware that all our work had been stopped by the withdrawal of our masons.
He said that it was by his own orders that they had been removed, and that he
must insist on our doing no further building until he received distinct permission
from his Government. The only orders he had were not to allow us to build,
and of these orders, he said, the Russian Consul was very well aware. I pointed
out to him that in putting obstacles in the way of British traders he was not only
acting in defiance of all Treaty engagements between the British and Persian
Governments, but that he was running the risk of losing our friendship. I told
him that l had received copies of the correspondence that had taken place bet
ween H. B. M’s Minister at Tehran and the Mushir-ud-Dowlah on this subject.
To all my advice and arguments the Amir turned a deaf ear. He again told
me that the Russian Consul had been sending exaggerated reports • about him
every week to Tehran, and that it was
7 more than his position was worth to
ignore the threats of expulsion which Mr. Miller levied at him whenever
1