"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية: العمليات في بلاد فارس ١٩١٤-١٩١٩" [ظ‎‎٢‎١‎١] (٥٦٦/٤٢٧)

372
OPERATIONS IN PERSIA
East Persia ; asked what was the maximum force that we should be able to
September ma i n tain north of Meshed by the spring of 1919. The Govern-
I9l8 ‘ ment of India replied on the 13th that this was entirely a
question of communications and was difficult to estimate
exactly. When railhead reached Neh, provided that a number
of Ford vans from England previously asked for had arrived,*
we should probably be able to maintain a force of at least a
division north of Neh, of which a brigade group should be able
to operate beyond Meshed. The Government of India realised
thoroughly, they said, the importance of improving communica
tions. But the extent of these and their bad state, the lack of
water and of local supplies, and the scarcity of animal transport
rendered it impossible to accomplish what was necessary until
the railway had been extended and the Ford vans had been
supplied.
A further difficulty, it may be noted, was the large amount
of local transport being utilised by a recent sudden increase in
the imports into East Persia and Khurasan of Indian trade
goods, such as sugar and textiles, which had formerly come from
Russia, but for which by this time the country had become
entirely dependent on India. It was estimated that during the
past two months these goods had been coming in at the rate of
over 100 tons a month and the demand was such that private
traders were proving serious competitors for the use of the
available local transport. Consequently the Government of
India were proposing to restrict the trade by a system of con
sular certificates. But this course presented so many difficulties
and disadvantages that it might not be feasible.
On the 21st September the Commander-in-Chief in India
issued orders placing under the command of the General
Officer Commanding 4th (Quetta) Division (Lieutenant-General
R. Wapshare) the whole of the East Persia Cordon up to and
including Meshed, but exclusive of troops under Genera
Malleson's orders. The functions hitherto vested in the Genera
Officer Commanding the East Persia Cordon were in future o
be divided between an Inspector-General of Communications,
East Persia, and a General Officer Commanding Line of Com-
munication Defences, East Persia, who would be res P onsl , e
to the General Officer Commanding Quetta Division for ^
administration and defence, respectively, of the line of com
munication from railhead (exclusive). Brigadier-Gener
W. E. R. Dickson was appointed Inspector-Gener a^
* Some difficulty was being experienced at this period in England owing
American objections to providing Ford vans for operations in the h