'Military Report on Persian Seistan' [‎10r] (24/188)

Charbar to Seistan, vid Bam pur and Sarhad. Jennings says this road ^
is suitable for any army with wheeled artillery, but did not himself traverse it ’
below Bampur. Two routes are given in the Route Book (Nos. 3 and 3B,
in the Appendix), neither of which, however, appears suitable for wheeled
artillery. Jennings mentions a route, No. 3A in the Appendix, which he
obtained from the Khan of Dizak and a Persian artillery officer, who both
accompanied Persian field artillery by this road to Charbar and back. As
Jennings did not traverse this route himself it is impossible to say whether
it is really passable by wheeled artillery or not, but if Persian artillery really
went by it, British could go too.
In connection with this route, it may be as well to quote Mr. W. H. Janes , 8
report on the portion of this route which goes through the Khaju river valley.
Mr. Janes was surveying in this neighbourhood for the Telegraph Department
in 1900, and writes as follows :—
“ It is quite impossible for wheeled conveyances of any sort to traverse the
whole length of this route. At the north entrance of this route (Hunzuk) the
defile is about 50 feet across, and the track is over huge granite boulders,
dangerous at all times even for camels.”
Again at Tank, the water though shallow spreads out from bank to bank,
but the bed is even and firm. During the rainy season, however, this portion of
the river must bring down a good volume and depth of water, when the
track, a narrow one, will be partly over the steep slopes of the hills forming
either bank of the river. Between Kasarkand and Gardak, also, it would not
be impossible to take wheeled conveyances.
Distances:—
Cliarbar to Bampnr vi& Pip .
„ „ „ Kasarkand
„ „ „ Fanoch
Bampur to Sehkuha . .
1881 miles.
ISO
212 „
301 „
The total distance therefore from Charbar to Sehkuha is about 490
miles.
The mouth of the Dasht river presents many difficulties for landing, and
the surrounding country is so low-lying as to preclude the possibility of its
being used, except on an emergency, by a small body of lightly equipped
troops.
The third main route mentioned by Jennings is from Gwadur to Seistan Nos. 4,
via Kalatak, Garok Pass, Parom, Isfandak to Jalk, thence via [a) Ladgasht 4A and
to the west of Talab river to Ladis, or (6) to the west of the above via Nairn, 4 - B *
and skirting the hills to Bug and Ladis, or (c) still further to the west via
Gusht and joining “b” at Bug. From Ladis the route continues vid Duzdap
and Hurmak to Seistan. This route Jennings does not consider suitable for
wheeled artillery.
Distances
Gwadur to Jalk
Jalk to Ladig (a) .
>» » {b) •
»» ^ >> (c) •
Ladis to Sehkuha
t 321 milat.
. 165 „
. 168| „
• UOf „
. 157 „
Total distance Gwadur-—Sehkuha, 630—670 miles.
As Gwadur is not in British territory but belongs to the Sultan of Muscat,
it is well worth considering a parallel line of advance from the British port of