File 3443/1914 Pt 3 'German War: Afghanistan and Persia; German agents; British troops in East Persia' [‎101r] (212/345)

CONFIDENTIAL.
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110
Sistan and Kain Consulate Diary No. 5, for the week ending the 29th January
1916.
Personnel.
January 2M.—Sir Aurel Stein, K.C.I.E., left Sistan for Koh Malik Siah He
intends to halt about a week near Girdi inspecting the chain of ruined forts which
stretch from the bhela towards Gaud-i-Zirreh.
January 27^.—Major Heron, His Britannic Majesty’s Vice-Consul, Sistan
and Kain, left for Koh Malik Siah and Dehaneh Baghi in command of 80 Levy
Camel sowars. Twenty more sowars are escorting his convoy of supplies.
German Parties.
(a) Nothing further has been heard of Seiler’s party, which fled back across
the But last week. It appears from Winckelman’s statement that Seiler, and the
two Lieutenants, came on in advance to reconnoitre the route via Deh Salm,
and that the main body has been halting at Khabis awaiting instructions. As
soon as any appreciable quantity of rain has fallen there is a possibility of the
whole party advancing again.
(b) His Britannic Majesty’s Vice-Consul at Birjand has heard, both from his
scout at Khusp and from local rumours, that a force of 400 men has arrived in
Tabas. These people, called by some reporters “ Hassanis,” are assumed to be
in German employ. Presumably they include the Shirazi, Lur and Bakhtiyari
sowars mentioned in Meshed Diary No. 2 of 1916.
(c) A camel-man of Fidishk, who left Yezd with loads for Birjand early in
December, states that the Germans at that time had 200 sowars, 200 mules and
100 camels in Yezd. The camel-man halted nearly a month at Bawat on account
of fear of the Hassanis.
The Governing Famity of Kainat. .
(a) Shaukat-ul-Mulk, on 24th January, repeated to his nephew and Deputy
in Sistan the telegram from Farman Farma of 13th January on the subject of sup
pressing German parties, and assisting in the collection of supplies for our troops.
I had previously given a copy of the telegram direct to Sartip Muhammad Reza
Khan, and he has been supporting the Karguzar and Revenue Director quite satis
factorily from the commencement of our operations. The telegram has been read
out to all the Kadkhudas assembled in the Karguzari.
(b) Hisam-ud-Dauleh is said to have married a wealthy lady in Tehran, and
to have married or to be on the point of marrying another more wealthy lady,
the daughter of Shahzada Muhammad Mirza and niece of the Governor-General
of Khorasan, in Meshed.
(c) The calumny (?) that Hisam-ud-Dauleh is a partisan of the Germans dies
hard in this Province. My news-reporter at Awaz writes: Ali Akbar Beg of
Takhtiban (of ill repute, see Diary No. 36 of 1915) is collecting grain at Kakh and
Nim Buluk for Hisam-ud-Dauleh who, I hear, is a friend of the Germans. ’
I imagine that Hisam-ud-Dauleh is still ready to sell his support to the other
side if he does not become bound to us for favours conferred.
Movements of the Sistan Column.
Colonel Wikeley, with his force of all arms, reached Neh on 24th January. He
started back for Sistan on 27th January. The question of bhoosa supply at Neh
is very difficult as none can be bought locally.
Russian Affairs.
{a) The notorious Russian Commercial Agent, Rajab Ali Habiboff (for last
mention of him see Diary No. 28 of 1915), has resigned his appointment. He