File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎392v] (432/1080)

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Up to the time of report the extra manning of the posts along the Cent 1
Asian Railway from Askhabad to the frontier of Qalat-i-Nadiri had not h ^
abolished. At Artik the extra contingent is dwelling in trains. These sn 61 *
modic military movements on the part of the Bolsheviks are puzzlin° to th*
observer but possible explanations are :—
(i) The events in Azerbaijan inducing precautions elsewhere.
(ii) The ease of feeding troops in detachments close to the
frontier.
Persian
(Hi) Expectation of revolution in Khorasan and the opportunity f
intervention, to which course the Russian Minister in TVU
offered his assistance. ' Q
(iv) The old and abiding fear of British action against the Central Asian
Railway. That this is not dead is evidenced by a story from
Takhta Bazar that the Bolsheviks believe there are 4,000 Britisli
troops in disguise in Persia. Moreover, the Turkmen are still
asking when British forces are returning to Meshed. This pro-
British attitude on the part of the Turkmen must be known to
the Bolsheviks and the knowledge may explain much of their
nervousness.
An arrival from Orenburg states that trouble is expected from the Cossacks
m that region under a leader known as Ataman Kuznitzov. Eor this reason
the garrison given (q. v.) is maintained there.
Economics.—There is no change in general conditions, except that the
troops appear to be receiving a winter outfit of dressed sheepskin. Pood riots
occasioned by refugees, who were supported bv railway workmen, are reported
to have taken place in Askhabad about the 20th October. Shops were looted
and bring had to be resorted to to quell the disturbance. Meetings were
organized by the authorith s and conciliatory speeches made. Nevertheless
much excitement and tension between the refugees and the
autbo ities ensued^ °
governing
, Conditions in Baku would appear to be worse than those in Transcaspia
ana Turkestan, even when the difference in exchange is discounted, 100,000
Soviet roubles equalling 170 000 Azerbaijan roubles. Thus in the Azerba ian
nf ? 9 a nn bre " d 18 ^ u ? red £000 to 12,000 roubles a pound against an averS
of 1,200 m Transcaspia and Turkestan. A pound of tea costs 80,000 roubles,
rh k° X ] P , mat ^ es . 2 ’ 0()0 > mea t 20,000 roubles a pound, and so on. In Baku
the soldier s ration is 1 ¥ pound of bread a day and a dole 'of black porridge
^eriXfallv^ THp st . ew 0 of rice > meat and cotton-seed oil fs issued
of soa^ l I y ;, 11 ^ iT nthly ? o? 18 2 ° ZS ' ° f tea ’ 1 P°™ d sugar, 1 pound
ot soap, 1 2 pound tobacco and 2 boxes of matches.
will e ^ am P*® s gi™ 11 in the Appendices from time to time
ment matter ^r, d p - te *11! u “ ( K rt l al ^ n g s acd assurances of the Soviet Govem-
l!reL BntIsh , ls stil1 beias published. The Bolshevik
and CWnet 111 U Z be g , Sart. etc.fand Urdu
doornata •inrl Vn e ^ C f • G bolsheviks have many vehicles for their political
neStatt * T' f Up0n ^ eir activiti ^ s ^ this respect would
maintenance of an ^ a s P ec i a l translation bureau as well as tbe
maintenance of an uninterrupted supply of their papers.
is thereto 1, s P eec ^ as a J d addresses they are on safer ground, for who
no shorthand k r.pnn f ° f the P ro P a g and a delivered in these ? There are
less thfanti-BHtkb f r & C ? Wd ° fs 8ay ’ Sart and Vzhe S illiterates, neverthe-
than bv the m-pc lmen ^ s ex P re ssed therein are more surely disseminated
Wb]C V aa a PP eal °«ly to the literate few. Yet there is
speeches ^° eS ^ arl arr ^ va ^ testifies to having heard anti-British
In th^ e f 1 hp n p eSC r 1 K edapr0 ? agaridafilminakinerna h ^ 1 he k ad been to.
conauerer] tbp wn n skown their deceipt and diplomacy to have
^ r c ‘ scene changed and the audience was shown the
ragged and unkempt Red
Army driving the British from their ill-gotten