"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية: العمليات في بلاد فارس ١٩١٤-١٩١٩" [و‎‎١‎٢‎١] (٥٦٦/٢٤٦)

SHIRAZ SETTLEMENT
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views. Accepting this decision, the Government of India then
also ascertained that, although they were to retain general
supervision of the South Persia Rifles, they were to take no
action without previous consultation with the Minister, who
was primarily responsible to H.M. Government for all political
questions in connection with Persia.
The only road leading to Isfahan which the Russians there Isfahan;
were able at this time to keep even reasonably safe was the one october^a,
from Tehran. That part of the Lynch road from Ahwaz which
lay within their tribal limits was safeguarded by the Bakhtiaris,
but the last fifty miles into Isfahan were so infested by brigands
as to be most insecure. The result was that during September
a large amount of British merchandise had accumulated on the
Bakhtiari side unable to pass the dangerous zone. It was
accordingly decided to send out 3,000 empty camels under an
escort furnished by the Sykes column and bring this merchandise
in. This was duly effected, though the convoy was attacked on
its return journey near Kawaruk on the 4th October by a large
band of robbers. These, however, were driven off with loss,
while the escort under Major Bruce* only suffered one casualty.
At Shiraz, Saulat and Qawam, finding their hands forced Shiraz;
by the unwillingness of the gendarmerie to wait any longer for f^ ember
the several months' arrears of pay which Colonel Gough alone
was in a position to provide, withdrew their opposition to
Farman Farma on the understanding that they were to be
confirmed in the headship of their respective tribes. Conse
quently, on the 30th September, Colonel Gough reported that
it would be perfectly safe for Farman Farma and himself to
proceed to Shiraz, provided they were quickly followed by
Sir P. Sykes with his column. Instructions were accordingly
issued for these movements.
(jiiesfe Major Farran at Kerman, at the beginning of September, Kcrnmn;
gnOfc decided to move both the party of drafts under Lieutenant er
In rep! Fraser and the eighty odd rifles of the 108th Infantry under
safif 1 ' Captain Wagstaff to Saidabad, in the hope that their converging
ice# 1 movement, from Kerman and Baft respectively, would bring
{ 10 1 about not only the capture of the German prisoners and their
■ e [S,!# Persian adherents, who were at Balward (east of Saidabad),
^(0! but would also have a salutary effect on the inhabitants of the
llJ * The escort was composed of forty of the 15 th Lancers, the section 23 rd
Mountain Battery, 150 rifles 1 / 124 th Baluchis with two machine guns, and
ten Russian Cossacks.