File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎179r] (5/1080)

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(There was no Diary published for period ending 25th December 1922.)
MESHED INTELLIGENCE DIARY No. 45, FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 1st
JANUARY 1923.
C
Local.
1. The following is an extract from a letter written by a Persian residing^
near Karez (60 miles north-east of Rui-Khar) to another Persian in Meshed! \
“ Rifles are not much use without ammunition and there is practically no sale
in Afghanistan without same. We can take as many rifles as you are able to
send provided you also send ammunition.”
In this connection it has been previously established that quantities of
: arms have been reaching Northern Afghanistan from Turkistan and apparently
the smuggling is going on unchecked. The Amir Lashkar says he is powerless
! to stop it as he cannot possibly guard every yard of the Perso-Afghan frontier.
He has, however, made arrangements to deal with the 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. of the above
quoted letter.
A very reliable informant who was in Zurabad (20 miles south of Pul-i-
Khatun) on December 17th, saw 17 camels loaded with rifle ammunition halt
just outside the village. The ammunition was in ordinary Russian ammuni
tion boxes and the number of rounds is estimated at 5,850. On enquiry, the
informant was told that this consignment was only part of 50,000 rounds
which were to be delivered in Meshed from Turkistan. It is known that the
local troops are very short of ammunition, but the Amir Lashkar knows
nothing about the above and shares the view that it was being taken to
Afghanistan. ^
2. Reference Diary 44, paragraph 13. The elusive Khawja Quli has now
taken refuge in Persia. He crossed the frontier with 20 followers on December
19th and according to the Amir Lashkar is now at Sarakhs. The Amir
Lashkar rejoices in the fact that e a wanted man ’ by the Bolsheviks is under
his wing, in view of the Karim Khan affair. Diary 41, paragraph 1.
It is generally believed tfiat Khawja Quli has been induced to come to
Persia purely as a reprisal in connection with Karim Khan.
3. Reference Diary 44, paragraph 2. Russian Sarakhs was reopened to
travellers on December 19th.
General.
4. An order has been issued by the railway department that trains, for
the present, will not exceed 20 versts per hour owing to the rotten state of the
railway sleepers on the line between Tashkent and Askabad.
5. Rumours, that Bolshevik troops at Termez recently had an engagement
with Afghan troops (about December 13th) have reached Persian Sarakhs.
The Bolsheviks are stated to have suffered casualties.
6. Rebel activities near Bokhara, Kermineh and to the south still continue
but without serious conclusions. Samarkand, during the period December 7th
till the 19th, was reported quiet and this is attributed to fear of Bolshevik
action from this centre.
7. Xmas leave has been granted to soldiers, in small batches, throughout
Turkistan. Seven days at home exclusive of railway journey is the maximum
period allowed.
Bokhara.
8. Reference Diary 44, paragraph 17. According to a very reliable I
informant, Faizullah Khawja returned from Moscow well primed with
communist effusions. The day after his return he held a durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). and during j
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