'Report on The Mission to Seistan, by Surgeon-Major G. W. Brazier-Creagh, A.M.S [Army Medical Services] 1897.' [‎12v] (29/131)

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flip fine he left the town for some time and visited Meshed, returning with a <
letter from the Russian Consul General, Meshed, stating he was a Government
letter irom tne , _ 1 -„ip r {v rP ,i w ith whereon the fine was remitted. He
ako C1 had n authoidty from the Russian Consulate at Meshed to purchase a site
for a hm,se”and tcf manage to build it as quietly and speedrly as possible
without giving rise to suspicion. „
Construction of Russian Consulate Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. . -Tvo acres of ground were
allotted at a nominal ground.rent of Es. ^'^“rliy
November 1896 ; consequent on inclement weather, the w completed
susnended in December, but re-commenced in Januaiy 1897, and was c p
for occupation in March for some Russian officers who were to come there.
The expenditure up to date exceeds Rs. 2,000, hut it was reported the
Russian Government purpose to extend the buildings adding additional
stabling and out-offices, which will come up to considerably more.
Russian Oficer's visit.-On the 8th May, Doctenr Bolestav Milascheoski,
Officer du Corps de Medicin, accompanied by an escort of eight cossacks, arrived
at Nasratabad.
He received the same hospitality and attention as had been given to us.
Next morning I received a visit from the Naib-ul-Hakumat who made
profuse apologies for not being able to visit me earlier owing to indisposition-—
a polite evasion of truth, as I knew for a fact, that accompanied. by the
news- writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. , he had left Nasratabad the day previous to my arrival m order
to meet the Russian officers three marches out.
The object of his visit was ostensibly to find out my views and learn if I
purposed visiting the officer.
The Persians, in common with all Asiatics, are no whit different to Westerns
in their notions and reverence for precedence, rank, etc., and from feelers
thrown out it required no magician’s wand to reveal the fact that I, as fiist
comer, was expected to pay the first official visit.
Knowing how much, in a matter of precedence, was at stake in the eyes of
all the country, I affected great surprise at the presence of a Russian^ officer,
remarking CJ I could not understand an officer of another power coming in.o
a zone of which I had been placed in medical charge of by joint agreement
of the Persian and my Government, more particularly as I was given to under
stand that the officer was a confrere, and such was contrary to the spirit of
professional etiquette without first having apprised me of his intended visit.’
However, I begged the Naib to convey my respects, and say that if any
representative of the Czar had come into the country, it would afford me the
greatest pleasure to receive him.
That evening I received a courteous message from the officer, requesting
me to appoint an hour that he might call, which was duly done.
On the 20th May the Russian officer paid me an official visit, and all
preparations had been previously made to receive him with full honours.
i
He remained two hours; the orders and views {re plague) of our respec
tive Governments formed the chief subject of conversation.
Next day I paid my return visit, and was not a little surprised when
ushered into a large and pretentious house (in Hussainabad) which had un
doubtedly been constructed with some ulterior purpose than that which it was
supposed to be.
It was easily seen the architecture and surroundings had been designed
with a view to other than Persian occupation, and the Russian medical officer
and his party were cosily housed during their stay, much to the envy of his
English confrere and party who sweltered in the narrow limits of field service
tents.
The Russian officer remained 21 days in the country, throughout which
time a mutual spirit of respect and good fellowship existed between us, and
most favourable and cordial relations were cemented.
Happily I was in a position to frequently entertain him, having with that ,
object brought a quantity of English stores.