'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎25r] (54/386)

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officers, each in turn became involved in acrimonious controversy; and zeal
at times inclined to override discretion, and to convert into diplomatic incidents
cases of insignificant impoitance, until at length Lord Curzon was constrained
to intervene and enjoin the exercise of greater tact. In the meanwhile, how
ever, Mons. Miller had been transferred from Nasratabad; and though his brother,
J)r. Miller, remained behind, and for a time the long existing tension continued,
the last six months have seen a marked improvement in the relations between
the British Consul and the Belgian officials to the last of whom, Mons.
L. Molitor, special instructions were issued to cultivate friendly relations
with the British Consul. The removal of Mons. Miller, the introduction of
an accepted code of Customs regulations, the settlement of the vexed
question of supplies for the British frontier posts, the wider experience of the
Belgian officers, and the increased knowledge on the part of traders of the
requirements of the new regime, give errounds for hoping that a period of more
peaceful intercourse may now be looked for.
The Governor of Seistan tlnoughout this period was Ali Akbar Khan,
better known as the liashmat-ul-Mulk. His father and his grandfather had
both held the Governorship of Seistan before him, and his family had ruled
for seven generations in the adjacent district of Kain. From the outset he
, made it no secret that his sympathies
The Hashmat-ui-Mul . were with Great Britain rather than
with "Russia. But be was weak; and his position was one of exceptional
difficulty. In 1901, the Belgians deprived him of his control of the Customs.
In 19 >2, an agent of the Persian Foreign Office appeared in Seistan. Disputes
with the Afghans on the Seistan border brought a frontier officer in the person
of the Yamin-i-Nizam. A Director of Telegraphs arrived and left nothing
unreported at the capital. A revenue official was deputed to resettle the lands.
Each of these in turn encroached in spheres where in the past the Amir had been
supreme. The Governor-General at Meshed grew more and more exacting in
his demands; and the Amir’s position became more and more precarious. The
Russian Consul, M. Miller, was busy with intrigue against him. At the capital
he reported that Seistan was being sold to the British; and at Nasratabad he
openly announced that the Amir should be deposed. The Hashmat looked
for help to the British Consul. But to lend effective support was not easy.
The grant of an Order was suggested as a sign of British favour. But such dis
tinctions had in the past been conferred on Persian magnates, and in more
instances than one the decoration had soon been followed by downfall. It was pro
posed to inform the Persian Government that any attempt to punish the Chief
for befriending British interests would be resented. But even this was open to
objection. It was uncertain whether the Hashmat might not prove an in
effectual supporter, and Lord Lansdowne was not prepared directly to insist
that he should be retained in office. It was therefore deemed sufficient that
Sir Arthur Hardinge should impress upon the Sadar Azam the importance of
British interests in Seistan, and should intimate that any action by the Persian
Government which might occasion disturbances in the district would compel His
Majesty’s Government to take measures for the protection of those interests.
In the summer of 1903, the value of the Amir’s support was put to the test.
A serious anti-British agitation took place at Nasratabad. The outbreak was
the result of false reports spread by the Russian Consul’s agents; and Indian
traders, threatened by the mob, took refuge in the British Consulate. The
Hashmat declared himself powerless to punish the rioters. The position was
serious, and the British Consul took upon himself to assure the Amir in formal
terms that no action which he might take to secure the restoration of older
should be allowed to form a pretext for his removal. Colonel McMahon’s
escort was on the border; and the Consul’s hands were strengthened by the
hint which he conveyed of intervention from that quarter, llie Hashmat s
fears were overcome. Persian troops were detached to guard the Con
sulate; the ringleaders of the mob were publicly punished; and order was
restored. Mr. Dobbs had acted with firmness and promptitude. But the
pledge which he had given was not without its embarrassments. However well
disposed, the Hashmat had shown himself a weak and inefficient Go\emor;
and Russian efforts to secure his deposition were now redoubled. But the