‏"ملخص الأحداث والتدابير الرئيسية التي اتخذها سمو نائب الملك اللورد كرزون من كيدلستون، نائب الملك والحاكم العام للهند في إدارة الخارجية. ‏I‏. يناير ١٨٩٩-أبريل ١٩٠٤. ‏II‏. ديسمبر ١٩٠٤-نوفمبر ١٩٠٥. المجلد IV. بلاد فارس والخليج الفارسي". [ظ‎‎٩‎٤] (٣٨٦/١٩٣)

85
in touch with their Chiefs. He reported he had seen the Sipahdar and Haji Kuli
Khan and that they were quite ready, with the consent of the Persian Govern
ment, to accept the scheme for training mounted or unmounted levies, preferably
the former. Major Burton suggested that the necessity for guarding the
Bakhtiari road and the extension to Kum and Khorremahad would give an
opportunity for approaching the Persian Government. On the 22nd October
the Viceroy telegraphed the above information to the Secretary of State and
added that, subject to discussion with the Minister, he was of opinion that the
scheme for road guards “ should be pursued without delay, more especially
in view of the recent recruitment of 100 Bakhtiaris for the Cossack Brigade.”
It was further stated that the Indian Government would be prepared to°share
the subsidy with the Imperial Government.
15. Lieutenant Lorimer speedily enlisted the sympathies of the principal
sections (Sagwand, pirekwand), of the Lur tribes* In the spring of ] 904 he
travelled to and from Khorremabad and submitted a comprehensive report for
the opening up and protection of the Dizful-Khorremabad road by the various
sections of the tribes who were to supply road-guards and construct posts in
return for payments amounting to approximately a lakh of rupees. All the
chiefs consulted expressed eagerness to see the scheme taken in hand and to
assist. In the following autumn Lieutenant Lorimer again proceeded to
Khorremabad in pursuance of the policy above stated, having previously
entered into an agreement with the Direkwand chiefs to brino- him from
Lizful to Khorremabad and take him and Colonel Douglas^ Military
Attache, Tehran, who joined him there, back to Dizful for a certain sum which
he had paid. On the second day of the return journey the chiefs began to
demand large sums of money alleging that the original agreement was only
for Lieutenant Lorimer and demanding 500 tomans for safely takin^ Colonel
Douglas through to Dkful. On the third day while negotiations were pro-
grossing the camp was rushed, all baggage and horses were robbed and both,
officers were seriously wounded. After a week’s delay arrangements were
completed with the Sagwands to guard the officers through to Burujird.
16. The Persian Government were immediately requested to take steps
to punish the guilty persons and pay compensation to the wounded officers.
They would not admit their responsibility in the matter on the plea that
the officers had been previously warned of the dangers to which they would be
exposed. His Majesty’s Government insisted on the tribe being punished and at
length in theSpiing of 1905 the Persian Government set in motion an expedition
to Lnristan for the purpose under His Highness the Ferman Derma but beyond
the capture of a few Direkwand Mirs practically nothing was effected" the
Persian Government being unable to pacify the country. As regards the couw
pensation demanded the total claim being about £ 3,000, unless the Persian
Government pay it, the question of recovering it by reduction from the Jaak
royalty of £ 600 a year payable to the Persian Government for the telegraph
convention will be considered. & L i
m . 17 - ^^"~The Bank s inability to prosecute the coneessioi
obtained m 1890 for connecting the sea with the capital rendered it all tin
more necessary for Messrs. Lynch who had established themselves on tin
Karun to seek other means for tapping the trade in Central and Western Persia
Ihe llussians on the north were improving communication with the capital fo
the passage of their trade bv constructing the Besht-Tehran road and ther<
were other indications of their intention to endeavour to capture the Ispahar
trade; to catch the trade of the south and divert it north. In their own interests
the necessity for Lynch & Co. to improve connection with Ispahan was urgent
ihe Bakhtiari Chiefs had obtained a concession in April 1597, for a road from
waz (Slimter) to Ispahan. In March 1898 an agreement was entered ink
between the Chiefs and Messrs. Lynch Brothers for the construction of a roac
by the latter at a cost not exceeding £5,500 the Chiefs agreeing to pay Messrs
Lvnch Brothers 6 per cent, on their outlay and to repay the cfpitaFby “
tn tl,Tsrd Mabh nonr^n-l 6 year ’ S i,lterest ! * Dd iDstel ment to^all due
on the 3rd March 1901. Ihis road was open to traffic in December 1899 and
ZhTr w? b f tWee ? tb6 Karun aBd Central Persia ™ maintained by tht
route which thus formed an important link between the Karan riyer navigated