'Military Report on Persian Seistan' [‎12r] (28/188)

This route is apparently fit for guns, except stages 4 and 14, where a good
deal of work would have to he done. At stages 16 and 17 water bad and
scarce ; at all other stages it is procurable.
The above seem to be all the routes that require mention in a report of
this nature; for other routes and tracks, see “ Routes in Southern Baluchistan
and Persia, Section l.*’
Having dealt with the first group, before proceeding to consider the second
group, it may be as well to consider what lateral communications there are
between these two groups of roads.
The road connecting Saindak and Ladis has already been mentioned, also No. 9.
one connecting Panjgur with K.ondi on the trade route. Other routes con
necting the trade route, with routes in the group that has be m dealt vith,
are long, and owimr to want of water unsuitable for troops ; it may be worth
while mentioning one, viz.) the road Jalk-Dalbanlin vid Galichah, 7 stages,
141£ miles, but owing to want of water it is of little military importance.
It is route No. 36 of “ Routes in Southern Baluchistan.”
Secoid grt/up of roads from Quetta and Kandahar in the east.
The most important road from Quetta to Seistan is the trade route described No. 10.
below.
There are other practicable and possible routes, but as they are more in the
nature of lateral communications between the main Quetta-Seistan and Kan-
dahar-Seistan road-*, they are given under the heading “ Lateral communica
tions” Quetta to Bobat (Kuh-i-Malik Siah) via Nushki, 476 miles, 25 stages.
This is the trade route recently opened up by the Indian Government, and \
being of such importance deserves detailed notice, which is given below :
For the first four stages from Quetta to Kishingi the country is on a level
with the plateau on which Quetta stands, and there are villages and
supplies within easv access of the road. From Kishingi the road descends
abruptly to the level plain on which Nusliki is situated. 'Ihe road through
out has been made with inclines, not too steep for camels, and it is practic
able for wheeled artillery, but being unmetalled throughout, it is unfit for
wheeled traffic. Stages 3 and 4 are *26 and 24 miles, respectively; these
are very long marches. The water-supply at the stages is good, but on
the road between stages it is bad. Facility of communication between
Quetta and Nushki is a matter of very great importance, seeing that, Nushki
is the natural starting point for caravans crossing the deserted area lying
between it and the Persian border ; it is, in fact, the proper terminus of the
Nushki-Seistan trade,route. It is a natural depot lor the trade of Khorasan,
for the distance from Meshed to Bundar Abbas is 906 miles, whilst from
Meshed to Nushki is only 920 miles. It is also the natural depot for all
caravans from Garmsel, the Helmand valley, and Shorawak : from these dis
tricts, during the month of November 1901, trade has been brought into Nushki
to the value of Rs. 1,02,866. This latter fact is one of military importance
as showing the ease with which the desert between Nushki and the Helmand
can be crossed at the proper time of the year. A metalled road between
Quetta and Nushki is regarded as an unnecessary expense, but railway
communication between the two places may shortly be completed. I here are
three ranges of hills separated by plateaux, each plateau being lower than
the preceding one on the way from Quetta to Nushki. Tn the middle range
of hills the railway will have to pass through a gorge, close to Shek \\ asil,