'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.' [‎94v] (193/386)

in touch with their Chiefs. He reported he had seen the Sipahdar and Haii KuK
Khan and that they were quite ready, with the conseut of the Persian Govern
ment, to accept the scheme for training mounted or unmounted levies, preferabl"
the former. Major Burton suggested that the necessity for guarding the
Bakhtiari road and the extension to Kum and Khorremabad would sire an
opportunity for approaching the Persian Government. On the 22nd October
the Viceroy telegraphed the above information to the Secretary of State and
added that, subject to discussion with the Minister, he was of opinion that the
scheme for road guards “ should be pursued without delay, more especially
in view of the recent recruitment of 100 Bakhtiaris for the Cossack Brigade ^
It was further stated that the Indian Government would be prepared to°share
the subsidy with the Imperial Government
15. Lieutenant Lorimer speedily enlisted the sympathies of the principal
sections (Sagwand, Direkwand), of the Lur tribes. In the spring of 1901 he
travelled to and from Khorremabad and submitted a comprehensive report for
the opening up and protection of the Dizful-Khorremabad road by the various
sections of the tribes who were to supply road-guards and construct posts in
return for payments amounting to approximately" a lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. . All the
chiefs consulted expressed eagerness to see the scheme taken in hand and to
assist. In the following autumn Lieutenant Lorimer again proceeded to
Khorremabad in pursuance of the policy above stated, having previously
entered into an agreement with the Direkwand chiefs to brin<* him from
Dizful to Khorremabad and take him and Colonel Douglas^ Military
Attache, Tehran, who joined him there, back to Dizful for a certain sum which
he had paid. On the second day of the return journey the chiefs be^an to
demand large sums of money alleging that the original agreement was" only
for Lieutenant Lorimer and demanding 500 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. for safely taking Colonel
Douglas tlirough to Dizful. On the third day while negotiations were pro-
grossing the camp was rushed, all baggage and horses were robbed and both
officers were seriously wounded. After a week’s delay arrangements were
completed with the Sagwands to guard the officers through to Burujird.
16. Tiie Persian Government were immediately requested to take steps
to punish the guilty persons and pay compensation to the wounded officers.
Ihey wou!d not admit their responsibility in the matter on the plea that
the officershad been previously warned of the dangers to which thev would be
exposed. His Majesty’s Government insisted on the tribe being punished and at
length in the Spiing of 1905 the Persian Government set in motion an expedition
to Lunstan for the purpose under His Highness the Ferman Ferma but fcevond
the capture of a few Direkwand Mirs practically nothing was effected] the
Persian Government being unable to pacify the country. As regards the com-
pcnsation demanded the total claim.being about £ 3,000, unless the Persian
Government pay it, the question of recovering it by reduction from the Jask
royalty of £ 600 a year payable to the Persian Government for the telegraph
convention will be considered. 1
. The Bank's inability to prosecute the concession
obtained in 1890 for connecting the sea with the capital rendered it all the
more nece^arv 01 Alessis. Lynch who had established themselves on the
Kacun to seek other means for tapping the trade in Central and Western Persia.
Ihe Russians on the north were improving communication with the capital for
the passage of their trade by constructing the fiesht-Tehrau road and there
wore other indications of their intention to endeavour to capture the Ispahan
tl s. L’,.! 0 T C r' ’ e r ' rad i e ° f l! ie south and (liTert ‘t “Orth. In their own interests
The f %.H nC , h f C°-.to improve connection with Ispahan was urgent.
AhwfwQi s C !"? £S t ad ? btame T d a concession in April 1S97, for a road from
between the U riT f ° .'Pf' b ln ' dn ^rch 189S an agreement was entered into
w !* C ‘ efs ard ifessrs - L I, nch Brothers for the construction of a road
I’veeh ii /,T ' c C0S: . 101 eXce , n S £5,500 the Chiefs agreeing to pay Messrs,
j * r + ^ I Cen ^ t ^ eir outlay and to repay the capital by annual
,, ,a ™t'V{, f 1 ’i 0 noo 1 maD n 6 ’i ' ie fir ? t - vear ’ s io'erest and instalment to fall due
cLm»n,vis MarC h ^ 90L ? Lia road w;,s °P en to traffic in December 1999 and
icnte nhi^h th* e '' ee '? " lbe ^- arun and Central Persia was maintained by this
us oin.cd an important link between the Karun river navigated