"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية: العمليات في بلاد فارس ١٩١٤-١٩١٩" [و‎‎٩‎١] (٥٦٦/١٨٦)

MAKRAN
149
During February Colonel Wikeley received various reports East Persia
of German intentions and preparations, which generally referred
to a movement towards Neh or Birjand. Seiler was reported
to be at Kerman raising levies for an attack and Zugmayer
was said to have gone early in the month to Narmashir,
where it appeared that he and his companions were meeting
with considerable success among the Baluchis and Sarhaddis.
In the meantime, the military authorities in India had
initiated steps to make the Nushki-Robat road fit for mechani
cal transport and to obtain the necessary vehicles from
England. It was also decided to appoint a more senior officer
to command in East Persia and on the 17th February
Brigadier-General R. E. H. Dyer received his instructions* at
Delhi and at once left for Kacha.
At the end of December, the news of the German activities Malian
based on Kerman had caused H.M. Government to enquire I9I ^_
what the position was in Makran and what measures the February
Government of India proposed for its defence if this became I 9 I 6*
necessary. There was considerable unrest in Narmashir and
Bampur, owing mainly to the lavish expenditure of the
German emissaries. But on the 12th January the Govern
ment of India replied that there were no indications of any
immediate hostile advance on Baluchistan and that, in any
case, the distances involved and the desert nature of the
country precluded any attack in strength. Raids were probable
and, to deal with these, arrangements had been made to distri
bute more arms and ammunition to loyal tribesmen, to offer
generous rewards for services rendered, to expend money
freely in obtaining timely information and to increase the
Makran Levy Corps by 200 men. Endeavours were also
being made to secure the co-operation of friendly chiefs in
Persian Makran, and the Political Agent in Kalat (Lieut.-Colonel
A. B. Dew) was touring the border to see what further
measures were necessary. As they did not consider the menace
on the Baluchistan border to be serious, the Government of
India did not consider it advisable to lock up troops there
even if they were available. In February Major T. H. Keyes
of the Political Department was sent with some Indian non
commissioned officers to assist Colonel Dew in organising the
tribal forces on the Makran border ; and by the end of the
month Colonel Dew had succeeded in winning over, or arranging
a truce with, many of the hitherto hostile chiefs of the Persian
bord erland.
* These instructions were a recapitulation of those issued to Colonel Wikeley.