ملف رقم ٥٢ لسنة ١٩١٢ الجزء ٣ "يوميّات بلاد فارس" [ظ‎‎٧] (١١٢٨/٢٥)

2
thousands of maunds of trade goods lying at railhead, which were bought by
the merchants several months ago, and on which the owners are losing
interest.
Reopening of import trade from India. —Apart from the aspect of the
import trade as a means to a military end, it is most important that Indian r
trade should obtain a firmer hold than before in East Persia at a time when
the demand is abnormally brisk. The demand is due to recent restriction of ’
trade from the South, stoppage of trade from the North, general prosperity
due to the presence of our troops, and the fact that the Kran, which three
years ago stood at 420 = Rs. 100, is now welcomed at the banks at less than
Krans 200 = Rs. 100. The Managers of the Imperial Bank of Persia at
Sistan and Birjand anticipate that a revival of trade will at once tend to bring
more Krans into the banks in payment for drafts on India which besides
relieving the present anxiety as to securing enough Krans for local military
payments at any cost may tend to considerable economies by affecting the
general rate of exchange.
Crop prospects in the Kainat are good owing to recent rain. They are
also good in Sistan. It is hoped that this year it will be possible to induce
the cultivators in Sistan to cut more of their straw than usual the traditional
method being to harvest only the upper half of the straw, or even less in
outlying places.
M. Cordennier, the Belgian Director of Customs, Sistan, has been instruct
ed to take steps for opening a customs post at Duzdap. The post of Koh
Malik Siah is, however, likely to be maintained for some time.
All classes express great satisfaction at the prospect of the railway soon
reaching Duzdap, but are genuinely disappointed at hearing that it is not to be
pushed on to Neh. Equal satisfaction is expressed at the construction of the
road, for work on which the Sistan Levy Corps has been warmly commended
by the Inspector-General, Communications.
Peksonnel.
December 24th. —Lieutenant Midelton, Sistan Levy Corps, left Sistan for
Birjand where he makes his headquarters as Commander of the Kain Wing.
January —.Lieutenant J. L. Evans arrived at Sistan to join the Sistan
Levy Corps.
January 5th. —Captain Nawab Talab Mehdi Khan arrived at Sistan for
duty with the Line of Communications as Deputy Assistant Director of Local
Resource Supplies.
January 8th. —Major D. Heron, C J.E., and Captain Nawab Talab Mehdi
Khan left Sistan for Quetta to attend the conference in connection with the
transport difficulty.
January 9th. —I left Sistan for Birjand.
January 17th. —I returned to Sistan from Birjand.
January 18th. —Lieutenant Evans, Sistan Levy Corps, left Sistan for
Dehaneh Baghi.
January 18th. —Lieutenant Elloy, 98th Infantry, left Sistan for India on
short leave.
The Commandant of the Sistan Levy Corps has moved his Headquarters
from Kain to Sistan. His office and records reached Sistan on the 24th
December 1918.
News from Afghanistan.
1. Six “ Germans ” are said to be in Chakhansur at present as guests of
the Governor. [
2. It is reported that two men, recently released from this Consulate
where they were imprisoned as suspected German agents and given Rahdarie
to return to their homes in Yezd {Dy. No. 46, oj 1918) have gone to Herat
with a view to rejoining the Germans there..