ملف ٣٥١٦\١٩١٤ الجزء ١٨ "الحرب الألمانية: بلاد فارس؛ الوضع العام - ١٩١٦" [ظ‎‎٥‎٧] (٣٦٨/١٢٣)

For instance the “ Persian women and children ” to whom Herr Wassmusg
alludes in second paragraph of his letter consisted of one family only, which had
to be expelled from Bushire by the military authorities during the occupation
owing to one of the female members, who is a Tangistani, and in the habit of
going across there, being strongly suspected of giving information to the enemy.
This family was detained at Mohammerah with a subsistence allowance and
allowed to return to Bushire at the end of Oclober at the conclusion of the
military occupation, so there is not much ground for reasonable complaint in
this regard.
In the list of privileges which Herr AVassmuss states are enjoyed by the
male prisoneis, he mentions in clause (1) the Postal authorities as supervising
the prisoners’ letters This is not so. Letters are censored either by AY assmuss
himself or his minions, or by one of the Khans’ Munshis, who knows English.
The postal authorities have nothing to do with the matter and have no post
office at Abram.
The other “privileges” also require some comment, so I will deal with ther
clauses seriatim.
(2) The English papers are seen by Herr Wassmuss first.
(3) Some of their servants have stayed and some have left.
(4) The rations provided are of course very inferior as the Tangistani
standard of living is not high ; we supplement this from Bushire
as far as we can * * * *
(5) AY r e have also sent some books belonging to Major O’Connor which
had arrived here and some tobacco, etc.
(6) Ordinarily they are confined to the courtyard in the local fort, but
they are allowed to go for walks The baths, I understand, are
taken in some hot springs near by which nature has fortunately
provided, otherwise baths would be few and far between I
imagine,
(7) The prisoners have all to live in one small room, there is also a
very small room which is used as a hospital for any one who is
sick. Herr AVassmuss in claiming free communication as a
privilege makes a virtue of necessity.
In enumerating the prisoners who, he says, <£ have been taken prisoners
by infraction of International Law and Persian sovereignty,” Herr A^assmuss
has omitted to mention that they were all infringing Persian neutrality and
carrying on hostilities against us.
Dr. Listemann himself was arranging with the Tangistani Chief, Bais
Ali (since killed while making a night raid on one of our outposts) to
make a night attack on the British here then quite defenceless and living
scattered about the Island. He was also waiting for a suitable opportunity
to cut our cable and damage our wireless installations, and further was
arranging the transmission of arms up country for seditious purposes. Kefer-
ring to Herr Wassmuss’ list we find that—
(1) Dr. Linders, as previously mentioned, was in AVassmuss’ own mission
for stirring up Persia, Afghanistan and India.
(2) Mr. Eisenhut was actively engaged as one of the firm of
R. Wonckhaus & Co. in supplying funds to German secret
agents to stir up trouble and otherwise working against us.
(3) and (4) were corresponding with the Turkish force and the German
officers and adventurers with it, which invaded Arabistan.
(5) was not arrested on Persian soil but * * *
(6) was mixed up in the intrigues to create a rising in Oman and an
attack by Tangistanis on Bahrain, besides being in active corre
spondence with the Turkish authorities at Basrah, supplying them
with very prompt and accurate news of our expeditionary
force.