File 1323/1916 Pt 1 ‘Baluchistan:- Disturbed conditions on the Anglo-Persian border. Future administration of Mekran, Sarhad & the Kalat States’ [‎15r] (27/896)

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0 | iHe reported that he could not do this owing to shortage of staff, unless he
0a closed Seistan, and he proposed to do this. Almost immediately afterwards
, n _ he cancelled this proposal owing to objections by the Persian Government,
^ but as the work in Seistan had fallen off, he suggested leaving the Branch
there in charge of an Accountant, and transferring the Manager to Birjana.
% iWe agreed to this. However, he was apparently unable to carry out this
m ^ change, for in March last he wrote that he was still in doubt as to the
J ^ e advisability of reopening Birjand, as both the Meshed and Seistan Managers
had reported a great falling off in trade by the Nushki Railway, and it
seemed doubtful whether the Branch would be profitable, or even pay its
expenses. He proposed to leave the matter in abeyance for a time, and we
agreed. We are now sending him a copy of your letter, and asking him to
reconsider the matter. I will let you know the result. !• believe he is
anxious to reopen at Birjand if the trade prospects are sufficiently favour
able.;
I sincerely hope there is no change of the Nushki-Duzdab Railway
' being closed. I am particularly interested in this line, because I had a good
deal to do with restarting the proposal for its construction, by writing two
articles in the “ Indiaman ” in 1916; and I also brought the matter
personally to the notice of Mr. Austin Chamberlain when he was the Secre
tary of State for India, and of my cousin. Sir George Barnes, who was just
going out to India as member of Commerce and Industry. I have no recent
figures as to the traffic on the line. It seems to have fallen off lately, owing
to the revival of Russian competition. But sooner or later, if only we have
patience, I think it must encourage and improve trade between India and
Persia. At any rate it is the only channel by which India can hope to
'th compete with Russian trade in Khorassan.
Yours, etc.,
(Signed) H. S. BARNES.
Lancelot Oliphant, Esq., C.M.G.,
i Foreign Office, S. W. 1.
153
Confidential letter from His Britannic Majesty’s Consul, Sistan and
Kain to His Majesty’s Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Fleni-
potentiary at the Court of Persia, Tehran; the Secretary to
the Government of India, Foreign and Political Department,
Simla; Chief of General Staff, Simla; His Britannic Majesty s
Consul General and Agent of the Government of India in
Khorasan, Meshed; the Hon’ble the Agent to the Governor
General in Baluchistan, Quetta; Officer-in-Charge, Intelligence
Bureau Quetta; Officer-in-Charge, Intelligence Bureau, P
war; His Britannic Majesty’s Vice Consul, Duzdap and British
Military Attache, Meshed, No. 206, dated Birjand (East Persia),
the 4th August 1924.
I have the honour to forward a Supplementary report on the Military
trouble which occurred in Birjand in June 1924. My original report wa
sent under No. 194 (Serial No. 140) of 30th June 1924.
Enclo. to Serial No., 153.
Confidential.
Supplementary 'Report on the Military trouble in Birjand in June 1924.
^inne the submission of my original report No. 194 of 30th June 1924
certain ne^f acts have come to light. These have been derived from various
sourees and there can now be no doubt that the person responsible for the
trouble was Col. Salar Amjad, the former Officer Commanding No. 2
Brigade^