Papers of the Mesopotamian Administration (later Middle East) Committee [‎22r] (43/80)

MESOPOTAMIA ADM THIS T?JlT I OH C0MI,tI?T3E.
/
i
Minutes of the 4th Meeting held at the House of
Lords cn Tuesday 19th June, 1917 at
6,50 p t m.
Present:~
The Right Hon.
Earl Curzon of KeJleston,K.G.,G.C.S.I.,G.C.I.E.
(in the Chair)
(Right Hon.A. Chamberlain, M.P.
(Sir Thomas Holderness, K.C.E., K.C.S.I.,
India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. (Sir Arthur Hirtzel, T.C.B.,
(Lieut.-Gen. Sir Herbert Cox, ir.C.M.G. ,C .B. , C.S.l.
(Mr> Shuokburgh
Foreign Office Sir Ronald Graham, h.C.M.G., C.B.,
Sir Henry Me Mahon G.C.V.O., O.C.I.E., K.C.I.E.
C.S.l'
Sir Mara Sykes, Secretary.
CONTROL OF SOUTH PERSIAN RIFLES, 1
2Jew documents cited.
Sir Chas. Marlings telegrams 208^
0<J
THE CrLiIPJh U'I submitted to the Committee that the casea^hitherto
understood was materially altered by Sir C. Marling*3 telegrams
202 and 203, and by a personal communication of Sir Percy Sykes,
which his. Lordship had lately received.
From these documents it arpears' that Sir Percy Sykes 1, dutiee
have been even more complex rnd difficult than had hitherto been
supposed, since he was responsible,, not only for the finance,
policy, and maintenance of the South Persian Rifles, but also
for their operations and movements in a very large area, ft task
sufficient to tax the powers of any officer, end in his Lordship*a
opinion, Sir Percy S^kes was entitled to every consideration at
the hands of His Majesty *0 Government. For the moment his
Lordship was of'opinion that the two following points had to be
taken into account, firstly that the force v/as primarily civil
and not a military one, secondly that in view of recent political
developments in Persia, the constitution of the organisation of
the force snould give as little cause for friction as possible
with the Persian Government.
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA was of opinion that the control
should be in the hraids of an authority in close touch with the
political situation in Persia, and he sug-.estod that eventually
Sir Charles Marling should be the person to v/hom the control of
the South Persian Rifles should be given. However, he thought
it would be advisable to postpone decision until Sir Percy Sykes
"provisional scheme", mentioned in Sir Charles Marling’s telegram
No.202, had been, received by His Majesty* s Government. In the
meantime the Secretary of State suggested that Sir Charles
Marling should be requested to repeat, his telegram, iJo^203, to
the Government of India, if this had not already been done.