Rebellion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan [‎224v] (138/174)

180
PERSIAN EXCUSES.
[1871.
Mr. Alison on the 1st May sent* his first Moonshee to Mirza Saeed Khan
* Mr. Alison’s letter dated 2nd May. to repiesent that
cc the Moostowfee-uLMamalek* had eng’aged that Yacooh Khan would not he permitted to march
on Afghanistan through Persian territory, and
* Vice-regent of the kingdom during the Shahs ^ ^ movement of ^acoob Khan, and his not
absence m Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. . , , „ . ., ^
beincr prevented from crossing the Persian territory
and committing .this aggression, constituted a breach of the engagement and promise given by
the Moostowfee-ul-Mamalek.
“ The Minister for Foreign Affairs replied that he had no knowledge whatever of the
Moostowfee^s engagement towards the mission; that he knew nothing even of Yacoob Khan's
aggressive proceedings in besieging Herat and capturing Ghorian. Such matters, he said,
are communicated to His Excellency the Deheer-ul-Moolk, and he requested the Moonshee of
the British Legation to wait till he inquired of him. He accordingly applied to the Deheer-ul-
Moolk for information. Two hours after sunset the messenger returned without ^ being able to
find the Deheer-ul-Moolk. The Minister then requested the Moonshee of the British Legation
to tell His Excellency the British Minister that he had himself discussed the question of Yacoob
Khan with the mission, but that he was not aware of the Moostowfee-ubMamalek's engage
ment. The mission should have apprized him of this circumstance on his return from Kurbula,
and he would then have submitted the matter to the King, so that, if His Majesty approved of
it, steps would have been taken to confirm it, otherwise notice would have been given to the
mission,
“ The Moonshee remarked that it was the duty of the Moostowfee-ul-Mamalek as Prime
Minister, and not of the mission, to have communicated that fact to the Shah. During the
. This information was derived from the Meshed interview the Moonshee also informed him* that
Agent’s letter of 9th April, enclosed in Mr. Meer Alum Khan, the Governor ot Kayen, had
Alison’s letter of 4th May. given money, a body of horse and foot and other
assistance (to Yacooh Khan). He again replied that he knew nothing of all this, but that he
would take the earliest opportunity of representing the matter to the Shah, and would also
make enquiries of the Deheer-ul-Moolk, and then would tell Mirza Mehdy Khan to make the
necessary communications to His Excellency the British Minister/’
659. In communicating this reply to the Government of India, Mr. Alison
remarked that when Mirza Saeed said he was ignorant of Yacoob’s attack on
Herat, he must have meant that he was not officially cognizant thereof; for, on the
2nd May, the Prince Governor A Prince of the Royal line who also acted as Governor of a large Iranian province during the Qājār period (1794-1925). of Meshed called on Mr. Alison and admitted—
“ that intelligence had been lately received of the capture of Ghorian by the Ameer, and of
his advance on Herat. Yacoob Khan, after his defeat, took refuge in Seistan with about
„ , Tr 5,000 troops, and applied to Meer Alum Khan*
* Governor of Kayen. • j i . i • v , • i n
lor assistance; but his application was coldly
received, and it was intimated to him that he could not he allowed to remain in Persian
territory with such a large force. Yacoob Khan was then abandoned by the majority of his
troops, and appealed to the Shah for the means of subsistence. His Majesty agreed to
making him an allowance of ten Tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. a clay, provided he fixed his residence at the Capital.
In the meantime Yacooh Khan, who was on his way to Meshed, [must have been in
correspondence with the disaffected party in Afghanistan; for he made a sudden dash
at Ghorian, which he took, and then marched on Herat, which he is likely to capture. This
move on his part was, the Prince said, wholly unexpected by us, and no blame can be attached
to Persia."
660. On the 1st May Mr. Alison* wrote to Mirza Saeed, again complaining
•Mr. Alison’s letter dried 4 th May. ° f the assistance reported by the Meshed
Agent to have been given to Yacoob by the
Ameer of Kain. The Shah thereupon wrote an autograph letter, saying—
“that on receiving late the intelligence of Yacoob Khan's arrival in Seistan, orders were at
once sent through the ex-Prime Minister that he should be compelled to accept one of three
proposals,—either to return to Afghanistan, to come up to Teheran, or to proceed to Meshed;"
that the result of these orders was not yet known, owing to the slowness of com
munication along that line of country; that Yacoob must have been supported by
disaffected Afghans; but that enquiry would be at once made into the matter.