Page 237 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

AND THE MASK AT POLITICAL AGENCY TOR THE YEAR 1007-1008. 53
country includin': 011c from Tabriz, which contained an invitntation from tlio
people of that place asking him to come there as the people of Azarbaijan
were nervous that the Atnbeg was about to take away from them the Consti­
tution. Prom my later knowledge of Salar I am inclined to think that ihcso
letters were in the main forgorios made by himself. Daood Khan Kalhor
also was supposed to have written saying that ho would not fight against IIia
Imperial Highness—a promiso which, if made, lie fulfilled by being the chief
factor in preventing Salar from taking Nehavend.
While the Mirza was in the Lur camp a letter came from the Russians
telling 11 is Imperial Highness t o writo to the Russian Consul at Kcruianshali
who would do all ho could to help him. Salar expressed great distrust of the
Russians to the Mirza, and said the English wero the cause of the constitution
which the Shah and Atabeg detested: I am afraid that ho had no higher
motive than this for turning to the English.
(M. Nicolsky, the Russian Consul, was sent for from Russia on account of
8alar-cd-Doulch, but arrived after the incident Was finished.)
Salar stated to the Mirza that, if it came to fighting, he did not propose to
attack Kermanshah, which contained Consuls and a bank, but that lie would
loot Ncliavond aud Douletabad.
After my Mirza’s return the Russian acting Consul, M. Petroff, called on
me and said that lie had received a lettor from Salar-cd-l)oulch, but did not
mention that it was in answer to a letter from his own Mirza, formerly his agent
at Khurramnbad. I now received orders that I was to keep the Russian
Consul informed of everything, and after this date wo acted in concert.
On the 30th May Salar sent me a second lotter saying that Amir Afkham
and Zahir-ed-Douleh, the Governor of Ramadan, had been told off to treat with
bim but lie had rofused to agree to anything except through the British Lega­
tion. The Mirza had takcu nine days going and coming to and from Salar’s
camp. It appeared to mo, then, advisable to go to Kangawar three stages
from Kermanshah where there is a Telegraph Office and from whence I could
keep iu closer touch with affairs. M. Petroff agreed to come with me, and
having obtained permission, we started off on the 30th May. On the second
dav after we arrived at Kangawar M. Petroff received a telegram from his
Minister saying that both Consuls were to go to meet Salar-ed-Doulch. At
the same time I roceivcd a telegram from the Minister saying that there were
telegrams of state importance awaiting me at Kormanshah which I was to
obtain. We received information that Salar had moved to Khawa which is
only 35 miles from Kormanshah. The same evening I received tolegrams
informing me that fighting had broken out between tho two parties in the
town, that some 13 had been killed, and the people’s part} had taken refuge iu
the Consulate, to tho number of about 2,000. I accordingly decided to send my
baggage to Harsin, one stage from Khawa, to ride into Kermamliah in one
day, arrange matters iu tho town and then rido out again and meet the baggage.
M. Petroff agreed to accompany me and we arrived in Kermansbali on the
evening of the 1th Juno. I found tho Consulate grounds crowded.
On tho 1st June ‘Wasook-el-Mcmalik, the accountant-general of the army
and one of tho moving spirits among the officials, had been going through tho
streets when a di9puto arose, the peoplo attacked him wounding him severely
about tho head; his escort replied with their revolvers, the riot commenced
aud was carried on throughout the day.
The following morning tho troops composed of Kerind Regiment, tho
Sinjabi sowars and some infantry of the Zangineh Regiment started looting
tho town. Tho bazaars wore hastily olosed but the soldiers broke open tlio
shops carrying off everything they contained. Tho amount of loss entailed
caunot be estimated but the bazaar within a radius of the central square was
swept from one end to the other. Some idea of the damago done can be
estimated from the fact that one Russian subjeot alone lost a sum of Tumans
20,000 or about £1,000.
Tho people state that the ordor for the looting was given by Saif-ed-
Douleh himself. Whoover may have been tbo originator, if there ‘was one
there is a little doubt that the official classes benefited largely and a good part