Page 583 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

8
FOR TUB YEAR Wl8.
»*r;ii in command, and Sergeant Ooomber being brutally murdered. On the
' date, howovor, the Kashgais wero defeated by a force of Indian troops, toe
**oualtios being estimated at GOO for the enemy as against 51 on our side, and
situation to some extent relieved. Active hostilities continued, however,
.j rou^hout Juno, culminating on June 20th, when the enemy reached their
rooto9t strength in the valley. On this date their forces iu thq 8hiraz plain
£ re estimated at 1,810, in occupation of various positions on the West and
North of 8hiraz. At the same time the internal situation in the oity of
Shiraz was far from satisfactory, and Qawam-ul-Mulk for a short time was
evidently wavering. Sir P. Sykes, with the South Persia Rifles, and approxi­
mately 2,500 Indian troops, maintained his defence until July 7th, when
Q column was sent out to Chenar Rahdar, before which Soulet^ed-Douleb
beat a hasty retreat. Meanwhile preparations were made at Bushire for the
formation of a force to take decisive action in the autumn. The construc­
tion of a Tramway from Bushire, begun in July, was taken by all concerned
as a definite indication that the British Government had decided to deal
effectively with the perplexing problems of Fars. The formation of the force
continued throughout July and August, during which two months the situar
tion in France was transformed in favour of the Allies.
The rebel chiefs of the Bushire Hinterland first showed their uneasiness
as early as June 20th, when they enquired the object of the British Govern­
ment in landing additional troops, and were informed that this was due to
the hostile acts of Soulet-ed-Douleh and Nasir-i-Diwan. They returned to
the charge on August 21th, with a statement that the railway, if con­
structed, would threaten “ their independence ”. This letter was handed to
the Darya Begi, who 6ent a suitable reply. By September 21st they had
collected a force of about 300 men at Chaghadak, 11 miles from Bushire, the
three leaders, Ghazanfar-es-Sultanch of Borasjun, Shaikh Hussain of Chah-
kutab, and Zair Khidhar of Tan^istan, being present in person. On September
25th telegraphic orders were received by the Governor from the Prime Minister,
directing him to afford every assistance to the British troops in their task in
opening the road, constructing the railway and establishing order ; he was
also directed to punish severely any persons opposing this friendly enterprise.
A proclamation containing these orders was at once published, and. the rebel
leaders strongly urged by the Governor in a separate letter to come in
to him and receive the orders of their Government, a guarantee against the
death penalty and imprisonment being given. They refused to come in,
and made highly suspicious proposals for an interview about four mile9 in front
of the advanced posts. An alternative proposal for a meeting 1£ miles out, in
view of our posts, was rejected by them, though they sent in as an envoy a
notorious agitator, formerly a, bankrupt merchant of Boshire, Alirza Ali
Kazeruni. Tho envoy began by asking the price placed by the British
Government on his services, and when these had been rejected admitted that
tis employers had no intention of obeying any orders given them by any
Persian authority, and would under no circusmtances permit the construc­
tion of the railway without a fighf, as such construction would be fatal to
their privileged position. When asked the Khans* reason for refusing to
obey the Prime Minister’s orders, he replied contemptuously “ No one knows
yhat Tehran is, now-a-days ”. He' was- consequently* directed to return
immediately to his employers, andi warn them that unless they immediately
^cmited their positions, they .would be responsible for any bloodshed which

trp^SClOS<£ Period of negotiation, and the following momios the
enches at Chaghadak were attacked and captured by a force commlndnd
by Lieutenant-Colonel J, S. Corlett, 15th Lancers, and composed as
* A * Squadron, 16th Lanoers.
Bushire I. M. A. Section.
Detachment 64th S. and M.
2-113th Infantry (S00 rifles).