Page 458 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

34 PERSIAN GULP ADMINISTRATION REPORT

office. Theso inoasurcs were abandoned in the course of a month or two, since
whon the normal arrangements have been in force.
At the same time a censorship on tho Persian Post Office was established
by tho Governor-General. Over this His Majesty’s Consul was not in a posh
tion to exercise any control, but it would appear to have been worked in a
bond fide, as well as in a reasonable, way.
Efforts wore made by His Majesty’s Consul, as far as tho means at his
disposal permitted, to circulate information calculated to counteract tho pro-
Turk-cum-Gonnan legends which were constantly being spread about by the
Democrats, and to givo the people some idea of the real situation. Extracts of
important newn roceived in Reuters or from other sourcos were translated and
distributed to. tho principal authorities and people likely to "ive them currency.
Tho work has been handicapped by tho want of any Persian with sufficient know­
ledge of English to be ablo to translate and tho Jack of any means of mecha­
nical production. Later 50 copies of the Vernacular Edition of tho “Basrah
Times *' were ordered and at tho present time (March) four copies are being
distributed free as complimentary copies, 24 copies arc being issued to
subscribers and the remainder arc placed in the hands- of an Agent to
try and sell in the Bazaar. Copies of the “ Haqiqal ” received from Basrah
are distributed free with the “ Times.** Copies of both have also been ordered
for the use of the South Persia Rifles and the troops at Sirjan, and copies have
been sent to all piincipal outlying towns ia the hope of securing more sub­
scribers. It would be much easier to make an indefinitely large freo distribu­
tion, but Ilis Majesty’s Consul is convinced that the paper will receive more
attention and carry greater weight if it is paid for. Other occasional docu­
ments of a propagandist nature have been procured from Basrah and have
been distributed in tbo town and districts.
A serious difficulty has been tho unsatisfactory working of the Postal
Service between Bandar Abbas and Kerman, of which more v. ill be said
further on.
Reference has already been made to the character ar.d relations of the
chief Provincial Authorities. The district
Towu ind rroriucial Affair a.
Governorships are divided between
“ Prince’s men *’ and “ Sardar’s men.”
The following are occupied by Sardar’s men :—
Bam and Narimshir • Sardar MujaHal (son-in-law).
Aqta Afebar. (Baft) . Mnblasbiin-ud-Duulah (uncle).
Rafsinjan . . Salar Mufakhkhatn (uncle) ftill
recently Zahir-ul-Iluzur follow­
er of the Prince).
The principal appointments held by the Prince's nominees are :—
Sirjau ...... Mirza Mahmud Khan jNayini)
Jabal Baris, Isfandaqah and Mclmi Zabir-ul-Huzur (Tebrani)
(till recently Adl-ul-Mulk,
brother of Sardar Nnsrat, now
deceased).
A number of petty districts are also held by Prince’s men.
State of country—Xb far as their internal conditions are con*
cerncd the districts have been quiet,
Extern*! trouble*.
quieter probably than in ordinary
years, but the security of the roads adjacent to Fars territory has
Buffered severely from the incursions of robbing and raiding parties from
that province. In July and August there was a series of raids in force by
bands of robbers said to number as many as 300 men. The claims on account
of one Hindu caravan robbed between Dnulatabad and Baft amount to 9,000
tomans. On another occasion the district of Isfandaqah was raided and
plundered, and His Majesty's Consul, on his wa;y up from Bandar Abba*
was attacked by a band of some 70 Babarlus in the Tang-i-Gulu-i-Anjh
North of Daulatabad. His party lost two Government horses and two Govern­
ment rifles and a small quantity of private belongings. The robbers missed tho
main oaravan which was some didance bohind.

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