"تقارير إدارية ١٩٢٠-١٩٢٤" [و‎‎٦‎٧] (٤١٢/١٣٨)

PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY, 1921.
27
1. JBaudar Abhas- Gakum-Saidahad-Kerman.
This route, owing to its length and the scarcity of supplies and fodder, was
rarely used by other than South Persia Rifles convoys. Detachments were
maintained by the South Persia Rifles at Sirjan, Bandar Abbas and various
immediate points.
A South Persia Rifles convoy was attacked on this road between Ab-i-
Din and Gakum in the beginning of May by a band of robbers. The robbers
were pursued and the camels and loads recovered. Two of the robbers were
killed and 3 wounded. The South Persia Rifles had no casualties.
Owing to the unsatisfactory attitude of Agha Haji Kalantar of Tarum
towards the South Persia Rifles, and his refusal to provide Tufangchis for Ab-
i-Din post, the road became unsafe in June and on the recommendation of the
Officer Commanding, South Persia Rifles and His Majesty's Consul, the
Inspector-General, South Persia Rifles, agreed that it should no longer be
used and that all caravans should proceed by the Baft-Daulatabad-Bandar
Abbas road.
2. Bandar Ahhas-Daulatahad-JBaft-Kerman.
This route which is the shortest and best supplied is the one generally
used by merchant caravans except during the month or two during which the
passes are blocked by snow.
The South Persia Rifles till its disbandment maintained small levy post 8
at important points on the route which remained comparatively safe through
out the year.
A band of Farsi robbers raided the road in the end of July and looted 60
unloaded camels belonging to a British Indian subject and an upward post.
3. Bandar Ahhas-Budhar-Jiruft-Kerman.
This route is used when the Daulatabad-Baft road is closed and to a certain
extent at other times of year, and has, thanks to the good order maintained by
Zargham-us-Saltaneh and to the presence during the greater part of the year
of a South Persia Rifles detachment at Bam, been safe throughout the year.
In November a party of Baluchs raided this road but were attacked by a
small force raised by the Deputy Governor, Jiruft, supported by a few Bakhtiari
sowars who happened to be in the district at the time and their leader and two
robbers were killed.
4. Kerman-Yezd.
This route has, as usual, been continuously harassed by robbers from Pars,
who were specially active during the latter part of the year owing to the news
of the disbandment of the South Persia Rifles.
In September Amir Shaukat, chief of the Qarasuran department, visited
the road with a number of Bakhtiari sowars provided by the Governor-General.
In October the Governor-General urged upon the Persian Government the
necessity for budget provision being made for an additional 100 sowars for
guarding the road. The proposal was sanctioned but no extra men were
engaged, a party of 40 sowars already serving at Kerman merely being trans
ferred to the road and placed under the Bakhtiari Deputy Governor of Rafsin-
jan who was made responsible for the security of the road in place of Amir
Shaukat. Notwithstanding the posting of this detachment there was little
improvement in the security of the route which continued unsafe until the close
of the year.
British Indian merchants alone lost goods to the value of Krans 238,455-
40 on this road. At the Governor-General's request these merchants sent a
representative to Pars with a Mamur deputed by the Governor-General to
recover the stolen property. The representative had not returned up to the
close of the year, but there appears to be little prospect of either the stolen
property or compensation being recovered.