Coll 28/112A ‘Persia. Tabriz – Monthly despatches of internal situation in Azerbaijan & misc. reports.’ [‎455v] (913/1237)

The Rezaieh Municipality is extremely slack. The roads are in an appalling
state and there are no signs of any improvements anywhere, the taxes appear
to go to keeping a few minor officials in idleness. The head of the municipality
is a certain Hussein Mustashari, a rich landowner, who was formerly the head of
the Public Instruction Department. He deserted his post during the Kussian
occupation and now spends his time smoking opium.
The present Director of Public Instruction, M. Muayzi, has caused a certain
amount of resentipent amongst-the fathers of Rezaieh on account of his habit of
running after the pupils of the girls’ schools. It is rumoured that he is shortly
going to be replaced as director by the Farmandar s son.
9. Persian A rmy .—The commanding officer, Colonel Mahin. whose tact and
savoir faire have enabled him to get on with everybody, not excluding the Kurds,
has been transferred, and he left Rezaieh whilst I was there. His departure is
regretted by all, and fears have been expressed that his successor, Colonel Beylari
Beg, will not wield the same soothing influence. This remains to be seen, but
the new commanding officer does not give the impression of being as energetic
nor as diplomatic as Colonel Mahin. Colonel Beylari Beg has just been trans
ferred from Khoi and is not pleased with the move. He speaks French and is
personally agreeable. The junior Persian officers have not acquired much of a
reputation. They are corrupt and insolent. According to Father Franssen, this
is because they are recruited from the secondary schools and are nearly always
the boys who have been too lazy or who are mentally incapable of passing their
examinations. The officers and n.c.os. are responsible for the lack of any real
esprit de corps in the local garrison.
10. Soviet Army .—I found everywhere the highest praise for Soviet
discipline—frequently followed by comparisons extremely derogatory to the
Persian army. There is, however, no sign of any attempt to fraternise with the
local inhabitants, nor do the Soviet officers appear to have any contact with
Persian or foreign officials.
F. C. OGDEN.
British Consulate-General, Tabriz.
Appendix.
Rail and Boat Service between Tabriz and Rezaieh.
Tabriz-Rezaieh.
Rail .—Depart Tabriz, Tuesdays and Fridays, 11 a.m., arrive Sherif Khaneh
3 P.M.
Boat. — Depart Sherif Khaneh, Tuesdays and Fridays, 8 p.m., arrive
Rezaieh 6 a.m.
R eza i eh-T a b viz.
Boat .—Depart Gulma Khaneh, Sundays and Thursdays, 8 p.m., arrive
Sherif Khaneh 6 a.m.
Rail .—Depart Sherif Khaneh, Mondays and Fridays, 6 p.m., arrive
Tabriz, 11 p.m.
The above times for the lake crossings are approximate, as the time taken
may vary between four-and-a-half and nine hours according to whether the tug
used is large or small.
The boat service on Lake Urmia is run with barges which are towed by tugs.
The Navigation Department of the Persian railways has its offices and workshops
at Sherif Khaneh and the present director has recently started a small brass
foundry in the workshops which enables many jobs to be done on the spot which
previously had to be sent in to Tabriz. The Lake service is run by six tugs, all
pre-Great War. There are two large tugs (the Pahlevi and the Shahpur), each
of 220 h.p., three medium tugs of 80 h.p., and one small tug of 35 h.p. There
are eight large flat-bottomed barges each capable of carrying some 150 passengers.
Accommodation on the barges is very dirly and primitive and is not suitable for
Europeans, especially in winter, when it is not possible to remain on deck in the