File 3443/1914 Pt 4 'Persia: East Persia affairs; German agents' [‎58v] (122/368)

4
4. It will be noticed ‘’f^^^^uiD^artZnt trltL^orwheft'
but as Government will pay th fp^gibie for us to reduce the rates, recoverable
crushed grain, proportionately for a few wee ’ . ^
Officer Comr^mdbi^Quetta'rbvisionrlastAugrist'has'faflenpractically 1 into e abey-
™ p ”“ ,?
( 2 ) because they could not find the transport animals required, and
3 because they have already supplied under this contract a much larger
quantity of grain than was estimated as the normal annual require-
ment.
I enclose a copy of this contract only because it was entirely negotiated bv this
1 encmsc a copy authorities in Quetta, and to show that we have
Consulate on beha h - t 5 ^he rates of course cannot be compared with rates
expert knowledge on Kacha con t ra ctors have to send their supplies
to RobS a distance of 100 miles, on their own hired transport animals, and ( 6 )
because they incur some expenditure in passing supplies, men and animals through
4 . 1 ,~ Pnafnm Tdouse at Koh Mailk biah.
Enclosure No. 1.
Telegram No. 193-X., dated the 4th April 19-16,
From— The General Officer Commanding, Robat,
To—His Britannic Majesty's Consul, Sistan.
tNot vrinted, vide Serial Ao. (jf)|/
Enclosure No. 2.
Telegram No. 147-C., dated 5th April 1916,
From—His Britannic Majesty's Consul, Sistan,
To—The General Officer Commanding, Kacha.
Has your 193-X been written alter perusal of my 142-C ? \ou are 1 think
unaware that in years prior to entry of column into Persia our Indian contractors
hardly ever succeeded in delivering the small quantity of supplies for Kacha
without invoking frequent assistance and intervention of this Consulate.^ How
can you expect either Indian firm to collect three-fifteenths of total produce of
Sistan for your troops without assistance of British Civil and Persian authorities ?
You must remember that in any case I have to acquire about another qgfv^-fifteenths
for levies and Consulate.
Arrangements failed this year for simple reasons :—
( 1 ) that both Indian contractors swore that they had large supplies in hand for
the respective contracts for which they tendered, and when they after
wards said that they had no more grain we for a long time would not
believe them,
( 2 ) that Persian authorities and our own military report stated that there wa£
sufficient grain in country, and we consequently did not realize
seriousness of situation,
( 3 ) that much grain was exported to Afghanistan which we might have
prevented if we had moved Persian authorities to action quicker.
Now we know that the Indian contractors hold no stocks of grain and without
Consulate assistance they will be utterly unable to collect one-quatter of your
requirements. At present Mahan Singh is working for Consulate on exactly same
terms as for troops, namely he takes over, cleans and delivers all grain supplied
through Persian authorities and Consulate. There is likely to be much more friction