"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية: العمليات في بلاد فارس ١٩١٤-١٩١٩" [ظ‎‎٨‎٧] (٥٦٦/١٧٩)

142
OPERATIONS IN PERSIA
South Persia; that before he started he should be consulted regarding
Februaty General Sykes's mission. But as the latter could not get to
I916 * Persia in time, it was arranged that Qawam should at once go
to Bushire and discuss matters with Sir Percy Cox.
As it was evident that the force from Egypt could not reach
Bandar Abbas in time to assist Qawam and as its sphere of
operations was to be limited to the low country, the authorities
in India telegraphed on the 16th February to London depre
cating its despatch as unnecessary and inexpedient. They also
said that if it could be spared from Egypt they considered that
it could be more usefully employed in Mesopotamia or India
than in Persia. In replying to this next day, the Chief of the
Imperial General Staff explained that the proposal had eman
ated from the Foreign Office and he went on to say that the
Prime Minister had ordered the War, Foreign and India
Offices to hold a conference on the political and military
situation in India, Persia and Aden. The General Staff were
then to give an opinion as to the adequacy of the military
resources available in those areas and as to any additional
military measures considered necessary. To assist him, Sir
William Robertson asked for the views of the Commander-in-
Chief in India.
These Sir Beauchamp Duff telegraphed on the 18th February,
He proposed to hold Bandar Abbas with one hundred Indian
infantry from Muscat till Sir Percy Sykes had time to secure
his footing. The presence at Bandar Abbas of the force pro
posed by the War Office might, it was thought by the political
authorities in India, imperil the success of the scheme for raising
Persian military police, while from a military point of view
he himself was afraid that it would lead to entanglements in
the interior and would eventually necessitate the employment
of larger forces there. He would be glad if any Indian bat
talions that could be spared from Egypt could be sent him to
enable him to relieve tired units in Mesopotamia. In regard
to the military situation in the East:— Our resources at Aden
were sufficient until we assumed the offensive, which for the
time being need not be undertaken. The proper base for
operations against Shiraz, Qawam's objective, was Bushire, I
but Sir B. Duff did not suggest that we should do more tnaii
hold that place. The situation in Persia, he said, was governe .
by our success in Mesopotamia and by that of the Russians
against Kermanshah and Khaniqin ; while to consolidate ou^
position in East Persia, where our troops so far had ful ^
their object, he was taking steps to have the Nushki"R ac