تقارير ومراسلات تتعلق ببلاد فارس، بما يشمل التجارة ومساراتها في بلاد فارس [ظ‎‎٥‎١] (٢٥٢/١٠٢)

8
murderers. As a result of this note, Seyed GhafTar, the principal murderer,
was arrested and sent to Tabriz, but the accomplices, who were Dasht Kurds,
remained unpunished. Daring the summer and early autumn of 1904 repeat
ed representations were made both by His Majesty’s Minister and by the
United States Minister with a view to obtain satisfaction for tlie murder at
Urmia. In spite of the fact that His Majesty’s Consul General at Tabriz, and
subsequently Captain Gough, were sent to Urmia in order to force the local
authorities to take action, nothing was accomplished. In September Sir A.
Hardinge proceeded to Tabriz and personally used his influence with the
Valiahd to obtain a settlement of the case. The Persian Government, how
ever, still continued to delay and to make excuses. In October Sir A.
Hardinge proceeded on leave to England, leaving Mr. Grant-Duff in charge of
His Majesty’s Legation. Towards the end of November Captain Gough n was
attacked by Kurds near Urmia and this circumstance enabled Mr. Grant-Duff
to obtain the dismissal of the Nizam-ed-Dowleh, Governor of Urmia, and the
promise of the removal of the Mollah, Mirza Hussein Agha. At the close of
the same month the United States MinLter, finding all representations un
availing, was instructed by his Government to inform the Persian Government
that if they did not agree by December 5th to the demands made {viz., 50,000
dollars (in gold) compensation, the imprisonment for life of the Seyed and the
execution of the guilty persons], steps would be taken to enforce compliance.
The Persian Government, after a few days’ delay, unconditionally accepted the
American terms and paid £6,000, the balance to be paid if the guilty persons
were not brought to justice by March 1906, or if the principal murderer,
Seyed Ghaffar escaped from imprisonment. Several of the Dasht Kurds, im
plicated in the murder, were arrested in January 1905 and sent to Tabriz.
Shortly after the departure of Sir A. Hardinge for Tabriz the Hashmet-ul-
Telegram t „ Foreign CMce, No. 102. ^"Ik informed Mr. Grant-Duffi COD-
fidentially that the Shah intended to
keep him indefinitely at Tehran, although without depriving him of the here
ditary Governorship of Seistan. Mr. Grant-Duff was instructed to warn the
Persain Government that such a disturbance of the political status quo on the
frontier, as would be involved by the removal of the Hashmet from his post,
and the transfer of the Acting Governorship now vested in his son, to another
official, would not facilitate the realization of the desire expressed by the Shaik
for the early withdrawal of Colonel MacMahon and his force from Seistan.
The Persian Government in answer to Lord Lansdowne’s message, replied
through their Minister in London that they deprecated interference by His
Majesty’s Government with the internal affairs of Persia, but gave no satis
factory assurances as regards the Heshmet. Lord Lansdcwne informed the
Ala-es-Sultaneh that the Heshmet’s dismissal would certainly be attributed to
his good will to England, would produce a most unfortunate impression, and
might induce His Majesty’s Government to alter fundamentally their policy
as regards Seistan and the adjoining regions. The Heshmet-ul-Mulk was still
detained in Tehran at the end of January 1905.
Towards the end of October His Majesty’s Consul General at Meshed
reported that five new Russian telegraph clerks had arrived at that town and
that there were strong rumours that the Meshed-Seistan line was to he taken
over by the Russian Government.
Telegram to Foreign Office, No. 116 , 27 th October, The Mushir-ed-Dow I eh in reply to
inquiries made by Mr. Grant-Duff
admitted the arrival of the clerks but denied both verbally and in writing
that there was any question of handing over the Seistan line to the Russian
Government. It would appear that these telegraph emplovds were
introduced into Persia without the knowledge or sanction of the Persian Gov
ernment. They, and others who previously or subsequently arrived, are posted
at various points on the line but up to the present have not been permitted to
work in the Persian Offices. The Persian Government are trying to obtain
their removal, and negotiations with the Russian Government were still proceed
ing in December both at Tehran and at St. Petersburg.
Early in November news reached His Majesty’s Legation that Colonel
Tekgrum to Foreign Office, No. 121 , 2 nd Novem- Douglas, Military Attachd at Tehran, and
btr ’ Mr. Lorimer, His Majesty’s Vice-Consul