'Seistan' [‎17r] (33/782)

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two of my servants were immediately seized and a message was sent up that
they would be flogged, either at my camp or in the town before my Secretary.
As, however, the affray had not been at all serious, I decided to let the soldiers
off, but the promptness shown, before I had made a complaint, was very grati
fying.
Throughout my tour, besides, to the best of my humble abilities, endeavour
ing to establish British influence, I have been especially anxious to discover
how our northern rival is regarded and, after a series of most careful enquiries, I
am glad to say that I can now report a most satisfactory state of affairs.
The Seistanis generally, and the Baluchis in particular, all look towards the
east and south, while their local commerce is now mainly carried on with Quetta,
their clarified butter and wool being exchanged for calico and occasionally a little
tea and sugar, but their wants are few.
The revival of the Seistan-Quetta route, the buildings erected along it and the
other proofs of British activity have, no doubt, helped to increase our prestige,
which the institution of a post, protected by Purdil Khan, the most influential
local chief, cannot fail to favourably affect.
Major Brazier Creagh, R.A.M.C., who was deputed to Seistan, in 1897 , on
plague duty, was treated by the local authorities in a distinctly unfriendly manner
and not altogether unnaturally, put this down to Russophil tendencies on their
part. I am, however, convinced that it was only due to general suspicion, which
he evidently failed to disarm, while his protracted stay, without any sign of the
plague, only convinced the local authorities that he must have some other deep
design. Again, the officials are quite twenty years behind other parts of Persia,
and the Deputy Governor asked me quite seriously whether the British Govern
ment ruled India or whether it had not been restored to the Indians ! Moreover
the seat of the Wall is at Meshed, which is also the sacred city, so that their
views are naturally influenced by these facts, while the garrison and all the
officials come from Birjand or its district ; at the same time it is fully realized
that Seistan is within the British zone of influence, and not the Russian.
The so-called colossus of the north has, for some reason, maintained an
authorized Agent in Seistan, but he has recently been dismissed and is now hostile
to his former employers and anxious to be of use to us ; add to this, the subcon
tractors of customs, both at Birjand and in Seistan, were also in Russian pay, but
they have just been dismissed.
As to the trade question, Seistan exports wheat to Birjand, whence Russian •
goods are brought in exchange, but, upon the whole, the balance is, I think, in
our favour ; however, the total volume is insignificant.
No doubt Russia, by sending a clever and energetic Consul, supplied with
plenty of funds, could create a party in Seistan and, more especially, at Nasrat-
abad, but such a creation would be artificial and of no use to the Northern Power,
except so far as it irritated us, or to use the phrase in vogue, created a pin-prick.
Thanks to the barbarous policy of the Amir, there is no trade and conse
quently, little if any, communication with Kandahar, while a glance at a large scale
map will demonstrate that our Baluchi chiefs could never, if properly controlled,
intrigue with a Russian Agent in Seistan, to any dangerous extent, so that Russia
would, in my humble opinion, be wasting money, if an official were appointed for
Seistan only. If, however, he were to receive his exequatur, both for Chain
(Birjand) as well as for the delta province, he could perhaps be of greater value
to Russia, but I hope to deal with that question later on.
As a second point, I am profoundly impressed with the feeling that the new
Quetta route cannot materially improve our commercial position in Eastern
Persia, and I think that the comparison I have instituted with the Bundar Abbas
road (Despatch No. 4 ) tends to bear out my views ; also I may mention that up
to the date on which 1 left Se.stan, only one through caravan had passed each
way.