"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية: العمليات في بلاد فارس ١٩١٤-١٩١٩" [و‎‎١‎٧‎٩] (٥٦٦/٣٦٢)

311
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by recent punitive measures. There was a danger of Qawam
and other tribes joining Saulat; but as Colonel Gough and
Farman Farma hoped to reduce the size of possible hostile
combinations by diplomatic and political measures, they
advocated the avoidance of any immediate provocative military
action beyond measures called for by actual tribal attacks.
Colonel Gough did not consider that there was any chance of
the Qashqais attacking Shiraz.
Sir Percy Sykes, who agreed to this policy, reported on the
21st that the mounted portion of Colonel Grant’s column had
just returned to Shiraz and that the infantry and guns were
due on the 23rd. The Qashqais had cut off Khan-i-Zinian,
where the garrison had two months’ supplies and plenty of
ammunition.
Next day Sir Percy Sykes sent a further report saying that
Saulat with a force of 3,000 to 4,000 tribesmen was moving into
a camp at Khan-i-Khabis, about sixteen miles to the south
west of Chenar-i-Rahdar. Captain Will’s Persian servant had
come in the previous evening from Khan-i-Zinian with a note
saying that the post was closely invested, that the well in the
fort had run dry and that there was a danger of the outside
water supply being cut. It was estimated that there were
3,000 Qashqais round Khan-i-Zinian and possibly 6,000 at
Dasht-i-Arjan. Saulat’s priests were preaching a Jahad and
all the Qashqais were united and aggressive. Colonel Gough
was trying to detach Muhammad Ali Khan, the Kashquli chief.
It was reported that the Boir Ahmadi tribe would attack
Abadeh and that the Kuhistanis and Lashanis would attack
Niriz, while men from Dashtistan were also said to be joining
Saulat. Sir Percy Sykes strongly advocated a threat of action
from Bushire and the despatch of aeroplanes to Shiraz*
On the same day Colonel Gough telegraphed that Saulat was
afraid to act openly without Government instructions and
promises of help from the townspeople and the Arab tribes,
but that the hotheads and women of the Qashqais were urging
him on. Colonel Gough hoped to stave off further action for
a few days, by which time the new Persian Cabinet might
influence the situation favourably.
Farman Farma appears to have risen well to the occasion
and had written very strong letters to Saulat in addition to
taking various precautions to maintain order in Shiraz city.
He had also telegraphed to the Persian Government, with the
* As Sir Percy Sykes was told in reply, the lack of proper facilities locally
prohibited the use of aeroplanes.