File 1749/1921 ‘Persian Gulf:- Residency news summaries 1921-25’ [‎163r] (340/494)

7
A circular telegram has been received by the Governor General to the effect that
from March 21st all roadguards are placed under the orders of the Minister of War,
and will be controlled by the provincial Army.
If this order is applied forthwith to the Isfahan-Shiraz road, and in particular
to the Bushire-Shiraz road, the consequences will be serious for security and trade.
The Governor General has, as far as can be seen, made endeavours to secure pay
ment from the Finance Department of Fars for the same local roadguards as were
maintained by the South Persia Rifles, and on the Shiraz-Kazerun section they are
not more than 2 months in arrears of pay. But there is far greater peculation and
disorder in the payment of the ‘‘Army’’ at Shiraz, and it is to be anticipated that the
roadguards would get little or nothing through the Commanding Officer, who is a
very common, uneducated Azarbaijani, with no idea of administration. The
inevitable result will be that receiving no Government pay, the armed men along
the route and their Chief, will, as before the war; levy blackmail to an unlimited
extent for their own livelihood. As it is, muleteers are beginning to complain of the
rise in exactions.
The Jewess Mme Orlovskaya is now staying with Colonel Luft Ali Agha,
Commanding the Fars forces. He has given out that she had an introduction from
the Minister of War, also that she is a lady-dentist (whose implements have not yet
arrived) and operated on the troops in the north. She has already received visits
from an^'-British editors and other agitators.
The French Charge d'Affaires and the Belgian Secretary of Legation who were
proceeding to Bushire via Shiraz have decided, owing to the insecurity of this route,
to travel via Ahwaz.
Ata-ud-Douleh, Governor of Kazerun, reports that owing to the non-payment
of the roadguards, the road is getting dangerously out of order.
About the 28th February there was an attack on a caravan of 10 donkeys
between Khaneh Zinian and Chanar Rahdar.
On the 3rd March Fathullah Khan of Daghuni attacked a caravan from Shiraz
near the Kutal-i-Malu ; 2 mules, 1 donkey, some tents and 80 Ts. cash reported
taken. On the 5th instant the Telegraph Office at Kunar Takhteh was broken
into, and the Ghulam reported a horse and donkey stolen.
Rahdari on the Bushire road has now risOi to 28 krans per mule, and the mule
teers and brokers have telegraphed to Tehran, and petitioned the Governor
General. They say that the level is almost as high as in 1910. On the other
hand, hire has dropped to 25 Ts. per 100 mans from Bushire and 25 Ts. from
Shiraz to Isfahan.
Behbehan.
Agha Amir Khan and Haji Abdur Karim Khan Bakhtiari have been appointed
Deputy Governors of Behtehan on behalf of the Bakhtiari Khans. They have
been instructed to inform the Kuhgilu Khans that if they pay their revenue they
will be treated well, but that if they fail to do so, an expedition will Le sent against
them to compel payment.
The postal courier between Behbehan and Bushire was robbed some 3 farsakhs
from Behbehan and goods w r orth about Ts. 20 were stolen from him.
The Dilum, Mashur and Hendijan-Ram Hormuz roads are reported to be safe.
The crops are reported to be very good this year, and a very large area is under
cultivation.
Bushire.
Mirza Ali Kazeruni has been causing His Excellency the Governor a good deal
of annoyance by his intrigues against him both locally and in Tehran, but during
the month the Governor received a telegram from his brother Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Fakhar, who
is in Tehran, intimating that Mirza Ali had assured him that he would not intrigue
against the Governor in future.