'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.' [‎116r] (236/386)

CHAPTER XVI.
Russian activity in Seistan.
1 Mention has already been made of the efforts of the Customs Depart
ment under Russian influence to obstruct British trade in the south and west
of Persia. The facts permit of no other conclusion than that Russia s most
vnhnble instruments Milling or unwilling, were the Belgian officers appointed
to supervise the Persian customs service in Khorasan and Seistan, in spite o
ronJntpd assurances from Tehran that their attitude would be one
of abstinence from political intrigue and perfect impartiality to British an
Russian interests alike.
2 In March 1900 two Belgians, M. Casta’gne and a subordinate,
Ain iviarc arrived at Meshed to take charge, under
aMa ^ 8 ^ 30 ^^ 111 the V arrangement with Russia, of the
miornsan Customs and in the following August the levy of customs m
SeisteiTwasstarted ’under the direction of Belgian oificials. The new arrange
ments caused considerable popular discontent at Meshed, the traders of
wntMi nlice were invited by the priests and merchants of Ispahan and
Shiraz to loin in memorializing the Shah to the effect that, if Europeans inter-
V a L thpOnstoms the merchants would cease trading. In March 1901 a
d! urbani occu^d a Ku“Ln, instigated by the Governor, against the new
Cusioma ^,^, and constant reports proved the widespread resentment felt
at the methods adopted.
3 The first complaint of unfairness on the part of a Belgian Customs
a. ine uistv i official was received m July 1901, only
M-Spineiia. tw0 m0 nths after the Persian customs
said to be influenced by his host.
Tn Anmist 1901 M, Molitor, the new Customs Director in Seistan,
In August 1901 M. mo pi . oC( , eded to enforce the exist.ng, hut
M. Molitor’s arbitrary action. heretofore practically obsolete, order
gainst the export of grain from Seistan, in spite of the assurances of the
T,l.r„ In -f »•»"
by the Government of Inuia.
4 . In October of the same year M HMitor mforme^
P e E rfo a ^Sr° d f ar t0 “ 8 P ° 8t8 ° n posts at Hormuk and one at the “ pomt
where the Nushki route penetrates Persian territory, m the Koh-i-Malik Stab
range,” for the immediate control of
followed later on by posts a t thu ’ 3 com ploting a chain of posts along
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