'Report on the Nushki, Chagai and Western Sinjerani Districts for the year 1897-98 and on the Development of The Quetta-Seistan [Sistan] Trade Route' [‎17r] (33/148)

turned buck. Sucli action was in direct contravention of the agreement
entered into between the British and Bersian OovcrnmentSjunder wbieb ten.
days simple quarantine was only to be imposed in the case of caravans coming
from affected countries. It is true that, in order to counteract this, so far
as the Nushki-Meshed route was concerned, Surgeon-Major Brazier Creagh
was deputed to Seistan to supervise trade interests in that country and to
prevent the llussian doctors closing the road, but I regret to say‘ that the
iiussians proved equal to the occasion, and 1 fear effectually counteracted this
enteiprise. J he li/ussian doctor detailed to Seistnn (he had neither medicines
nor instruments, be it remarked) quickly realised that he could effect
nothing in Seistan itself. He accordingly mendaciously reported to his
superiors that the British doctor was equipped "with neither medical stores
nor instruments, and that he took no steps to enforce quarantine. He then
recommended that all Indo-Seistan caravans should he regarded as suspects,
and treated accordingly, in spite of their having been granted a clean bill of
health by the. British doctor. This recommendation was accepted, if .such
language can be applied to the farce by which his report had been inspired,
if not prepared before he even reached Seistan, and a post, garrisoned by
Cossacks, was stationed at Turbat-i-Haideri*, where the Herat, Bandar
Abas, Lash J a wan and Seistan roads converge, and not a caravan was permitted
to pass either to or Irom Soistan. That t hese steps were notdictated by fear of the
disease is proved by the measures adopted by the Russians when their own trade
interests were affected. In that case, caravans marching north to Central Asia
along the Panjdeh road were only subjected to a paltry three days’ deten
tion on entering Russian territory. The success of the blow dealt to IVrso-
Indian trade will become apparent when the forthcoming Meshed and Khorasan
trade returns come to hand.
10. W bile there is, no doubt, much to he said against the appointment of
Luropean Consular Agents to Seistan, I do not consider that these arguments
apply in the case oi Native Agents Non-British agents affiliated with the British Government. . The reasons advanced against the appoint
ment of Agents generally appear to me to be based on the assumption that the
Persians are ultra suspicious of our designs, and would view r such a measure as
an unfriendly act. I do not understand on what grounds such arguments are
based- The Russians, who have annexed whole provinces from Persia, and
who are daily eroding the Persian frontier, have posted Agents to Birjind,
J abas, Chain, Neh and Nasirabad without a dog barjkingt, whereas we, whose
friendship with Persia has always been above suspicion and who have never
occupied an inch of Persian territory, feel nervous at asking the Persian
Go\ ernment to extend to us one tithe of the privileges which have been
extended without hesitation to Russia, lest it should be supposed that our
request is prompted by other than altruistic motives.
11. That such a request would he opposed, and that vigorously, I foresee;
hut the opposition would not be of Persian origin, though it might he directed
possibly through Persian channels.
12.. Seistan, although it is more than 450 miles distant from Russian Trane-
Caspia, is only 12 marches from our Chaman Railway, and lies immediately
,on our frontier. The nomad Baluchis, who constitute the larger majority
of its inhabitants, are more than well disposed towards us, while they are
at the same time suspicious of Russia’s intentions. This fact has been brought
iorcibly to my notice by the receipt of letters from trans-frontier Perso-
Laluch Sardars, begging lor permission to place themselves and their country
under British protection. Should we ever seriously turn our attention towards
extending our influence in Seistan, I am of opinion that, starting with so
The post at Turbat-i-Haideri, which proved so useful, still remains in Russian occupation.
I nless we actively .stir ourselves, there appears little chance of their ever retirinr from a position which
has rendered them such real service.
+ The Persian Gove r nment treated this matter with such indifference that in the case of the two places
'ast named the news never apparently reached the ears of the Meshed Consulate.