File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎456v] (560/1080)

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The baggage of the Bolshevik Consul at Kabul arrived in Kushk for transport
to Tashkent. (This may refer to Suritz’ advanced luggage or it may be that of
the Herat Consul.)
The train service is one train in three days.
Takhta Bazar. August 27^.—There are some 200 men in training in the
propaganda school at this centre. After passing the course the graduates are sent
for the greater part of Afghanistan. Some are also deputed to Persia.
The Jamshedi settlers have been placated by a more liberal issue of rations.
This is in answer to their appeal to the authorities to be allowed either to return to
Afghanistan or to be fed. They have also been promised their chiefs will be released
from arrest.
The Military Komissar is Fedorov, the Civil Komissar Shakirov, a Tatar.
Char jut. August 23rd.-—Trains were still being nursed across the bridge at
the time of the report. Repair operations were still going on. The want of food
is driving mounted troops to kill and eat their horses. Seed corn is issued to cul
tivators who, however, refuse to accept it as the smallness of the quantity does not
make it worth while. . ' *
Public meetings are held occasionally and pleasant prospects of conquering
India, Persia, and Afghanistan are held out to the audience who will find in those
countries abundance and luxury.
Karshi. August 25th .—There appear lately to have been differences of
opinion between the Bolsheviks and Bokharans over the question of the collection
of supplies. The former in their own way were trying to drain the country for the
benefit of Tashkent and probably towns further west. The Bokharans objected
and the Bolsheviks are said ultimately to have yielded, abstaining from the whole
sale purloining of other people’s property. The same account comes from the
south of the Khanate where the native population of Termez protested against
Bokharans’ cereals being sent to Charjui.
Samarkand. August 21st .—The economic situation seems easier here than
at other places reported during the week for troops are getting one and a half pound
of bread, other employes one pound, and refugees three quarters of a pound.
There is practically no cholera now in the Samarkand district. Refugees con
tinue to arrive and on foot. Three hundred young children have been sent in by
the authorities, Russians and Muslims being allotted to their respective countrymen
as fosterlings.
On the 20th August Ali Akbar Muhammadov Shirazi with 25 volunteers left
Samarkand for Resht.
It is widely rumoured that floods have washed away a part of Khojen and
many villages in the same region.
The Governor of Samarkand is Karchinski, the Military Komissar, Doktorov,
and the City Komissar, Oremew.
ISamenghan. August 25th. — The old town of Namenghan has been destroyed
and a new one built on a contiguous site. The railway line to Uch Karghan was
destroyed by rebels last year and has not been restored yet. Food supplies are
being taken by force by the Bolsheviks. Most of the cultivators have run away
into the hills and only raise sufficient for their own needs. The Bolsheviks are
holding out hopes here as elsewhere of a good time coming for everybody.
Andijan. August 13th. Raiding by the rebels is so frequent that Andijan
is a deserted city and only sufficient troops to safeguard Bolshevik interests are
kept there. These are based on Kokand. What inhabitants there are, live in a
state of panic. No crops have been raised for two years. Food is consequently
very scarce and clothing difficult to obtain. Goat’s skins are used for covering
the body. Some 150 famine refugees found their way to Andijan but were unable
to better their lot there, so returned to Kokand. The train service from Skobelev
to Andijan is practically disorganized. Locomotives are using wood fuel and most
of the trees have beer cut down for this purpose. All rolling stock is in the worst