"ملخص للأحداث الرئيسية. ١٩٠٨" [ظ‎‎١‎١] (١٥٦/٢٧)

12
But in 1908 the 6th Battery did not go to Tashkent as it was moved westwards
owing to the state of affairs on the Moghan frontier.
Kushk. In June new barracks were started at Kushk, but in November their con
struction was stopped.
In August, in consequence of the Jamshedi incursion into Russian terri
tory, the troops of the Kushk garrison who had proceeded to Firyuza for train-
i ig were hastily brought back to Kushk which was also reinforced between
the end of August and mid-September by 700 infantry with 2 machine guns,
100 mounted infantry, 150 Taman Cossacks, and 300 of the Trans-Caspian
Sapper Battalion, all from Merv, and by some 450 Cossacks from other stations,
£ 1,700 in all. About the same time 70 of the Frontier Guard were sent to
wards Maruchak, a battalion and 400 Cossacks towards Kara-Tappa, and 300
Cossacks to Panjdeh. It was stated that the Russians intended to permanently
increase the Kushk Garrison, of some 3,400 men on a peace-footing, by 400
Cossacks, detaching 200 of them to Panjdeh. Up till 1908 Kushk has had no
Cossacks.
Some fear of Afghan retaliation for the outrages committed by the Jam-
shedis appears to have arisen at Kushk, for not only were the walls of the
works raised and wire-entanglements laid, but also strict rules were issued
against the admittance of any Afghans into the fortress; these rules apparently
were still in force at the end of the year.
Kerki. There is every reason to believe that the report of the reduction of this
garrison, on which some doubt was thrown in the 1907 Summary, was entirely
without foundation, and that the importance of Kerki is more likely to be en
hanced than diminished in the near future. In February the garrison consisted
of 3,200 men ffiz,;—2 Infantry Battalions, 1 Regiment of Cossacks, 1 Mountain
Battery, 1 Company of Fortress Artillery and a Section (289 men) of the
Frontier Guard. It is known that large reserves of supplies, transport, am
munition and engineer equipment are maintained there and a report arrived in
June that new barracks for officers and men were in course of construction.
These barracks, according to a report dated 3rd March, are to accommodate
another infantry battalion and a machine gun company.
Posts on the PamitB With few exceptions there appears to have been little variation in the
kistan! ChlDe8e Tur ‘ distribution and strength of the Russian troops on and near the Pamirs and in
Chinese Turkistan throughout the year. In April reports from two reliable
sources stated that the Cossacks at Murghabi had been increased to 150. It
appears, however, that the increase was only temporary and that the additional
men had been sent from Karukh, possibly in connection with the reported
construction of a new fort at the former place. The presence of Russian troops
at Sarhad and Zung reported in 1907 has not been confirmed. In November
it was rumoured that the Russian posts on the Oxus and Pamirs were to be
reduced owing to the necessity of lessening expenditure. The strength of the
posts has been approximately as follows :—
^4 .—Detachments on the Damirs.
Station.
Infantry.
Cossacks.
Guns.
Remarks.
Khanikh (Kharugh) ...
150
100
3
A report in January put the garrison at
300 men with 40-50 gunners, another in
July at 100 infantry and Cossacks and
2 3 guns, and a third in November at
81 men and 3 guns.
Milvaj ...
12
12
...
Last year's reports gave 20 Cossacks. A
report of 11th January gave 40 men and
2 guns.
Langar-i-Kikin ... ...
12
12
2
Reports in 1907 gave the garrison as 20
Cossacks. The arrival of 2 guns (pro
bably machine guns) was reported from
2 independent sources iu January. In