File 3443/1914 Pt 2 'German War: German emissaries to Afghanistan' [‎134v] (278/490)

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entertain at six krans a day thirty or forty men riding camels to act
additional levies who would go out personally to intercept any party f
Germans which seemed likely to arrive at Naiband or Tabas about the 3rd of
If we assume now that the three German parties together leave Kerrm
on the 21 st of July, they can make Neh-Bandan on 31st of July and enw
Persian Sistan or Afghanistan on 2ud of August. J 1
. It . d °es not seem possible that reinforcement(s) of troops from Quetta will
arrive in time, and I think that, if German parties are to be intercepted half or
more of present garrison at Kacha should make an advance directly it is^nown
whether it is the intention of Germans to travel via Khabis or Bam. I J *
collect camels in Sistan so that as many of our infantry as possible should h!*
mounted. The climate is at its worst at present.
I do not think Governor will oppose the entry of onr troops into Sistan
and I beg to submit that in a crisis our troops have as much right to be the™
as Russian troops have to be in Meshed. lULie
On the other hand if the Germans are able to enter Sistan without opnosi-
tion, they can collect from among Baluchis, who are disaffected to Persian
Government and to present Governor, as many adherents as they want. There
is also m Sistan a considerable section of fanatical Saiyids; these men
are ready to attack foreigner^, including Indians, directly they cease to
fear local garrison s) They were greatly impressed bv receipt of copies (of)
fecafmg roPa ° a * ’ Which Chief ° £ Police aid succeed in con-
r . °" Ju’y 4th 1 was informed by Consul-General, Meshed, that Governor-
General admitted his inability to arrest these Germans, and expressed the
wish that Russians should do it. I am certain that Persian troops^in Sisten
will likewise tail. Tneir officers are an utterly incapable set of men.
. , 0n 1 July 1st I reported to His Majesty’s Minister, Tehran, that Governor
had voluntarily promised to inform his Government thnt rm on .n * ?
toente'^y ° f P e0 Pj e a " d Proximity of frontier Germans must not be avowed
It that T W Q ^ ' 0U ° ht ,, there were °nly ‘wo Germans to be dealt with
at that time. In Seistan all senior officials are friendly to His Maiestv’s
Government but no moderate expenditure of money on our part will restrain
o 8 S re, 1 ard^th B ? “ Ch a S ? rda 1 r ’ Khudadad K'-n, whom" even n" the
Birjand of bis relative Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Purdil ^ ha ^" rieTed beeause of the detention in
ready 1 tomarch by July f tbat l . Ilobat ^rrison be warned to be
property a^elKo o ere' Tga ffist TV™ T
that it will be an extremely difficult matter . P I must mention
« they remain in British territory? t0 “ ° ur remtorciQ S ‘roops.
Telegram P., No. S. 052 ,'dated the 10 th July 1915
From-Tb^Secretery^tte Goverumeut of India in the Foreign and Politic.
T °~ HlS BalMhUtan) MSie8ty,S C0nSUl ’ SistaD ( re P ea ted to Meshed, Tehran and
With reference to your telegram of the 8th instant, No. TOO C.
Secretary of ^ate.recrnR any'IddltiSkvLTuntutl, fr ° m , HiS Ma j eSty ’*
direct conflict with the German norf f S iurtli er orders and any
escort. For dealino- with these 68 81011 ^ a ^oided by men of your
'vith the Persian 0 authorises and t0 ?° nCen measures
No. 623 S. of 2nd instant snend . aS a read y indicated in my telegram
Tor the desnateh to p r SemCe m ° Dey and colle o‘ information,
issued. It.L Ttfn under crnsidemtl?^ 7 7 V V** Pi ° neers orders have
troops from Robat cau be permitted to crol frontier? 1 ^ me “ 01 aDJ reSUlar