File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎427v] (502/1080)

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batten on. From the commencement of his career in Khorasan he has owed
his hold upon the bendarmerie to an observance of regular payment of ration
allowance and wages, in contradistinction to the previous history of the force
which habitually counted its emoluments some six months in arrears. He has
raised a force of a magnitude the Province has not had before to meet in
modern times out of its lean resources and which day by day expands. To
maintain his tradition of regular payment involves the finding by him of a
large sum monthly for commissariat alone. Supposing him to have a pay roll
of 5,000 men of all ranks and occupations a proportion of whom are mounted.
Putting the average cost of rationing for officers, ranks, and horses at three
krans a day, his daily commissariat will cost him 15,000 krans, or 45,000
tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. a month. In addition to this he has to find the pay of all ranks and
the clothing of men and non-commissioned officers. If the average of officers
to men is 1 to 0 and of non-commissioned officers, 1 to 10, he should have
100 officers and 500 non-commissioned officers and superior grade officials.
Averaging their pay at 15 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. a month each, 9,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. will be required
for the pay of officers, non-commissioned officers, etc. The remaining 4,500
ranks at 2’5 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. a month each will entail an acquittance roll totalling
11,750 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. . Clothing and equipment may be taken at S tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. per head
in which there would be probably a sufficient margin for service. Upon this
estimate the total monthly cost of the force works out at a little under
80,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. . Of arms and ammunition there is a free supply, for
Muhammad Taqi Khan raided that transferred to the Persian Government
by the British authorities. Of this again the small arm ammunition is
inexhaustible by him.
How to raise the above sum monthly is a problem which is facing
Muhammad Taqi Khan. He has tried extortion on the pretext of collecting
arrears of taxation but that raised him up so many enemies that he has not
tried the method again. He raids sources of revenue like the Posts and
Telegraphs, he has approached the wealthy merchants and land owners for a
six-month loan of 110,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , he has tried to conclude a loan of 20,001
tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. with the Imperial Bank of Persia, and has placed an ad valorem tax
of ten per cent, on exports and one of there tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. per pound on opium sent
to Kussia or elsewhere. He has instituted a poll tax of half a kran on all
travellers leaving Meshed and he has sold the grain and domestic effects of
unfortunate tribal chiefs w hose territory he has overrun. Lastly, he has sold a
quantity of Government grain to Protopopov’s commission for, it is said,
75,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. . His latest payment to the Gendarmerie has included Russian
ten and five rouble gold pieces.
A movement to inaugurate a bank has received impetus from Muhammad
laqi Khan. One of its initial functions will be the collection for the purposes
of his war chest of all Persian assets of the late branch of the Russian Bank in
Meshed. The Bolshevik trading commission promises to assist with drafts
and deposits. A Kavkazi who was formerly in the same bank has been
appointed. manager. The premises of the Russian Bank have been made
over to this concern.
Policy. - Muhammad Taqi Khan is proving himself a strong man as
regards the control of the public, and unless a stronger than he arise to lead
the now subdued loyalist faction, or until he is defeated in arms, he will carry
the Province along with him. He is reported to have filled the city with spies,
three of whom may be seen at various points without the enclave An area of land belonging to one country and entirely surrounded by land of just one other country. of the British
Consulate-General,
nc ]t Ii eglect opportunities of attracting to his cause those who
by birth or political tradition have loyallist tendencies. His methods with
respect to the kffiahzadas, i.e. 3 those connected by family with the Royal house,
appear to be repressive to show his power and then magnanimous to prove
the advantage of supporting “ Nadir”—as he grandiloquently terms himself
having apparently accepted the title sycophants lately offered to Caesar.
•i-i. ?- e en ^ ssar ^ es ever ^ k ere ^ rea I those who are not
with him or are against him to Birjand to win over Shuja-uBMulk by the
agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. of the Aghazadeh, lately arrived in Birjand from Mecca—to Tehran to
maintain touch with his supporters there and, probably, with certain Khorasan