File 3443/1914 Pt 4 'Persia: East Persia affairs; German agents' [‎143r] (292/368)

,(j§)
Kurdistan
Axerbai jon,
Isfahan and the
bakhtiari.
b.w. i
krun
and
line*
country on the ore, April ie an indication that the Kussian
methods hare compelled resoect in this as in other turbulent
countries.
haratoff is guarding his right flank, and at
the same time maintaining touch to a certain extent with the
left of Chernasuboff• s force on the line takir-tiardasht, by
detachments at Sehna and Bijar, totalling 950 men and 2 guns.
General Cheraaruboff* a line of communications
by road to Rawandus has been reduced from 280 to 100 miles by
the opening of railway communication from ^ulfa to Lalse
Urmieh and by the initiation of a uteaxder serTicc across to
the V' • corner of the lake. The tuaintenance of their long
lines of commnieatione in difficult mountainous country in
the face of a warlike and hostile population of Pur&e, has
without doubt necessitated stern riethode on the part of
Generals jjaratoff and Chernaatabeff*
Although small sootions of the Bafchtlari hare
shown sigiis of disagreement with the policy of the great
Khans in concluding an agreement with Gr^at Britain, and
consequently acquitocing in present Russian action in Persia,
the n&Jority h&re accepted the situatio/i. The Bakhtiari
Khans In TehJ^an say that there is no question of their taking
action against the Alliea; they realise that they are
hostages in the power of the latter and Show no signs of
getting out of hand.
3 . southern < md Kaaievti Although the situation in the
ope yuttonP^ er< '^ ° f wttth ond east has undergone a
change for the better in the past three months, it cannot be
said to be satisfactory. On the extreme west, the blockade
of the rebels and German sympathisers is being actively
maintained by our detachments at bhush, Ahwa* and Band-i-qir
on the Karkheh, Karun and Bi* rivera. -mall parties of
BaWitiari and rebel tribesmen, who have jean dispersed by the
Russians on the Kerman shah line, and who have been attempting
to