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intended to be marked later on by a oairn and inscription on a slab lot into
concrete. This,.when oarried out, would, the Resident thought, be a suitable
memorial to a dcsorving English official, and would also, it was'hoped, serve
as a warning to the natives of the country through which the telegraph line
passod.
170. The Resident moved the camp to Gao on the 26th December, and
had the country round carefully inspected. That night an attack was made
on their position about 9 P.M., but was repelled without loss. The arrange­
ments were in the hands of Lieut.-Commander Carr, and were all that could
be desired. The following morning they moved through the gorge, and were
able to cross the first range of hills, and seo tho valley beyond.
171. On the 27th a few date-trees were destroyed by tho Persians, and it
was intended to continue this work till the ICirwanis came to their senses and
surrendered the criminals. Tho Resident, however, in tho.course of the day,
(the 27th Deoembor) consulted tho Persian Commandor as to tho advisability
of suspending his operations, as he had received a communication from
Said Khan, boq of Iiossein, the Baluch Governor of Persian Baluchistan,
begging that the date groves might be spared for 30 days, during which period
he promised to have the murderers arrested and handed over to tho Persians.
Haasan Khan was tho tax-collector, tho revenue having been farmed out to
him by the Persian Government, and Said Khan anticipated heavy loss to
himself if tho Kirwanis were deprived of the means of paying their rent.
172. The Darya Begi declared that he was anxious to avoid depriving
innocent people of their only means of subsistence and would gladly agree to
wait Said Khan was informed accordingly: but he took no steps to carry
out his promise, and it seemed likely that his proposal was merely intended to
gain time.
173. The operations against the date groves being temporarily suspended,
Colonel Meade returned to the bank of the Rapch river on the 28th December,
The 29th was employed in strengthening the camp in which he left
Mr. Campbell, of the Indo-European Telegraph Department, Mr. Graves’
suoocssor, with 12 sailors from the Lapwing under the gunner, Mr. Davis,
and the 10 sepoys from the Lawrence., The rest of the parties, landed from
the Ttgeon and Lapwing, were withdrawn, those vessels being required
for the confiscation of arms bound for Persian ports, and Colonel Meade left
Galag himself with Major Fagan for Maskat on the 31st December, arriving
at that place on the following day.
174. Colonel Meade attributed the
Colonel Mead’t report, dated 21st March 1898.
murder of Mr. Graves to several
causes :
(1) Desire of plunder : Mr. Graves was said to have had Rs. 1,000 in
his possession, the pay of guards, etc.
(2) There had recently been much ferment among the Baluchis and
desire to throw off the Persian yoke; hence disturbances and
anarchy.
(3) The British prestige had been at a very low ebb, otherwise murder
of an Englishman would not have been attempted.
(Ill) Detachment sent to Jask and Cliarhar, January 1808.
175. In December 1897 the Director of the Indo-European Telegraph
8m! B, August 1898, Mot. 11—237. Department proposed that, owing to the
No. 26. revolt ,of the Baluchi tribes, Charbar
was in great danger, and that a force of 60 men . should be sent there. The
British Charge d* Affaires at Teheran thought .that the Persian Government
would be unable to cope with the rising with their own foroes for at least three
months, and that as there was great danger threatening the telegraph, a party
of 100 men of Native Infantry be sent to Charbar and 60 men to Jask with pro­
visions and equipment required for. three months. Thoir withdrawal could
• For earlier hittorj, teo Chapter VIII (i) and (HI.)