ملف رقم ٥٢ لسنة ١٩١٢ الجزء ٣ "يوميّات بلاد فارس" [و‎‎٤‎٢‎٣] (١١٢٨/٨٥٦)

CONFIDENTIAL.
3 AUG 1917
. ' ' ^SEP1917 L
Meshed Diary No. 26, for the week ending the 30th June 1917.
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1. Persian officials. —The arrival of Salar-i-Mufakham, grandson of the late
Sipah Solar, on pilgrimage, is announced.
2. Agha Sultan-ul-Ulema, Commissioner of Education, left on 24th instant
for Tehran. Agha Muhandis-i-Hamayun will officiate during his absence.
3. The weakness of the [Governor-General seems to be increasing with the
growth of democratic power and influence, and he is now almost entirely in the
hands of a few advisers who are working against the interests of the Consulates
General. M. Nicolsky thinks that we should refrain from asking for his recall as
long as possible because he is ours, but this argument is becoming weaker daily as
he does less for us and I hope that his relief may soon take place.
4. Persian affairs (Local). —M. Delcorde, having heard from the Grain Com
mittee of Meshed that wheat is being exported to Russian Turkestan from Kuchan
notwithstanding the warning recently issued by the Governor-General, has tele
graphed to his Kuchan deptuy that he intends to send a special inspector to enquire
and will hold the local customs officials responsible if the report is found to be correct.
5. A telegram signed by 18 persons, some of whom are democrats, has been
despatched to Tehran complaining against the officials, who are said to be making
money out of the grain question. The Governor-General is meant by this, but
the committee appointed by him to arrange the matter declare that he has made
nothing.
6. The Home Office has communicated to the Governor.General complaints
on the part of the Excise Department of opposition shown to them by the local
Governors in Khorassan. His Excellency denies that such opposition exists.
7. Persian affairs (General)—It is reported from Nishapur that the Zushki
robber chief who was recently pardoned by the Governor-General has commenced
to raid the district. The Governor has sent out sowars, but scarcely knows how
to deal with this man, who is now a protege of the Government.
8. Our late employe Mirza Hasan Khan has taken on lease some villages in
Nishapur district the property of the Meshed Shrine, and has commenced to oppress
the inhabitants. The Mutwall'i Bashi has been informed.
9. Robbery and murder on the part of Russian Turkomans is reported from
the Sarakhs frontier. Their victims were four Baluchis, two of whom were
killed on the spot and two escaped to Persian Sarakhs where one of them has since
died It is said that this and other incidents are the result of the interpretation
placed by these Turkomans upon the new-found liberty of the Russian subject.
The matter has been reported to M. Nicolsky.
10. Kuchan and Shirwan affairs shew no improvement. Khuddu is still at
large and has now written to the principal mullas and traders of Kuchan demand
ing a’free pardon, in default of which he will extend his attentions to them. They
have recommended to the Home Office that the pardon should be granted, as
they are helpless against the robbers. Meanwhile 170 members of the Zafranlu
tribe of Kurds (of whom Shuja-ud-Daulah, Governor of Kuchan, is the head)
have telegraphed to Tehran complaining that the sowars of the Shadulu tribe
(thos6 of the Chief of Bujnurd) are raiding their villages on the pretext of searching
for Khuddu, and threatening to take the law into their own hands In case their
improper conduct does not cease.
11. The Governor of Turshiz, in reply to a telegram directing him to pay
compensation for a recent robbery of the mail, has replied that the road guards
have left their work and taken sanctuary in the Revenue Office at Kam. He
suggests that instructions should be sent for the arrest of the thieves instead.
12 British affairs.— Out good friend the Karguzar is coming under democratic
influence, which in the changed circumstances is natural. He has asked us not to