File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎516v] (680/1080)

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To sum up the situation, Muhammad Taqi Khan andM^Dubois are m revolt
against the Persian Government but they stand alone? They have neither the
city or the Province behind them and it is very doubtful if the Gendarme force
would lend itself in in toto active rebellion against the Shah.
Though Muhammad Taqi Khan has nominally appointed Major Ismail
Khan to succeed him in command of the military forces in Khorasan, it may be
assumed that he directs in person all questions relating to them.
Shirwan, Quachan, Bajgiran, and Darragaz are still under martial law.
Police .—Public dissatisfaction with the Police continues and the opinio n
is expressed that the conduct of its officers has deteriorated since the couf d'etat
of last April when the efficient services of the senior Persian officer were lost to
the Force. At the same time it must be conceded they are undermanned.
Their daily duty roster requires 256 men and their total strength is only 300.
Sedition. —Bolshevism is quiescent, • or at least has given no vivid signs
of its presence in the persons of its various vataries and agents in this city. On
the contrary, the latter approach this office with a frank confession of their calling
and offer their services.
It would perhaps not be going too far to say that Bolshevism qua Bolshevism
has no chance with the people of North Persia who are too closely in contact
geographically with Russian territory and who are in daily liaison, through
travellers and pilgrims, with Turkestan where this pernicious political creed has
so signally failed in its boast to better the lot of the poor. Yet in this connec
tion it should be remembered that Bolshevism can still serve as a weapon in the
hands of those wishful to unseat dynasties, to subvert Governments, to abolish
established law and moral custom, and to organise privileged armies which have
first call upon the produce and the products of a country it fastens on. Bolshevism
of this description has every opportunity in a country which is weakly governed
and prone to factitiousness—Bolshevism as a system of economics is “ with
yesterday’s seven thousand years.
General. —It is reported that Quwam-us-Sultaneh sent a telegram to Saiad
Haidar Shah, the Barbari chief, expressing his firm confidence in the latter’s
friendship. Suggestions have been made that the Barbari in consequence is
undermining the loyalty of his retainers (who have enlisted in the Gendarmes) so
as to weaken Muhammad Taqi Khan.
Arrivals from Sabzewar report that the Governor of that place is at variance
with Nasrat-i-Lashkar, the official whose appointment carries with it the
command of the road guards on the Meshed-Tehran road. There is some talk
of a collision being imminent between the two and of a communication from
Quwam-us-Sultaneh to Nasrat-i-Lashkar to the effect that he is independent of the
Governor of Sabzewar.
Some fifty elders of Turbat-i-Sheikh Jam (Afghan frontier) came to Meshed
on the 26th to appeal against the oppressiveness of their taxation and the
harshness of the Gendarmes levying it.
The communique issued by a number of the members of the Majlis animad
verting upon the policy of Saiad Zia-ud-din and the British in Persia, has of course
not failed to arouse comment in Meshed. According to information, the leaders
of political opinion in Meshed consider the publication to be senseless and un
necessarily offensive to the British.
183.— Cis-Frontier.
Bandargaz.— A newsletter, dated 21st July, states : —-
(i) The ship Astrabad arrived in this port on the 20th. She had on
board ten engineers who made maps of different places on the
coast. Three of them will stay in Bandargaz to continue this
work. They had not landed up to the date of despatch of the letter.
(ii) The Persian subjects on this ship have come ashore and all are in
possession of passports. They say that cholera is raging in Baku
and that people are leaving in great numbers in consequence.
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