Page 685 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

20
JOB THE YBA.B
Lieutenant-Colonel Q. L. Farran, D.8.O., M.C., was in command ot thj
Korman Brigade till February. He was then succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel
M. H. Lucas, D.S.O. In November, Lieutenant-Colonel Lucas was aPP™n*®“
temporarily Inspector-General of 8outh Persia Rifles, In his absence Ha}
0. 0. Crick, I. A., officiates.
In April, Colonel Orton, Inspector-General, South Persia Rifles, accom­
panied by Majoi/Gardener and Barr, paid a visit to Kerman.
8ervice in the South Persia Rifles is growing in popularity amongst the
local notables, etc. The following are now Persian officers in the Brigade :
8oiyid Mobnmcd Khan, son of Deputy Governor of Sirjan.
Mehdi Khan, brother of the Afsbar Ukhani,
Ali Akbar Khan, nephew of 8ardar Mujallal.
At the beginning of tho year, the Bam Detachment under Captain Coffey
did useful work in keeping Narmashir,
Tho chief odlriuca of tbo S'mth Persia Rifles.
Jiruft and Rudbar free from incursions of
Balucli raiders. This detachment also completed tho construction of a rough
motor road from Bam to Rigan and a few miles beyond. Owing to the
approach of tho hot weather, work bad then to be stopped.
The settlement of the case of the murder of the late Res9aidar Ahmad Yar
Khan was mainly due to the efforts of Major Crick and Captain Coffey loyally
assisted by Sardar Mujallal. A strong detachment of South Persia Rifles under
Lieutenant-Colonel Lucas, D.S.O., left Kerman in May for Ispahan. This
column was .away from Headquarters for nearfy three months. The result of
South Persia Rides activity led to the capture of Re^a Jeozani and Jaffer Quli,
the famous robber brigands of the Ispahan Province.
In August, owing to the activity of Arab robbers on the Haulafcabad-Baft
road, a small column under Captain Coffey was sent out.
This column was soon able to clear the road of these robber bands and to
allow trade to pass with safety.
The column returned to Kerman in October and since then no raids of
any importance have occurred.
In October, a column under Lieutenant-Colonel Lucas, D.S.O,, left Head­
quarters for Shahr Babak with the intention of capturing Najaf Quli Khan
and other well-known Shahr Babakis who were in the habit of assisting the
Farsi robbers in their raids on the Yezd aDd Meshed routes. By a forced
march of over 60 miles Lieutenant-Colonel Lucas succeeded in. surprising and
capturiug Najaf Quli Khan and Ghulam Ali Khan, a very creditable perfor-
manco. His Majesty’s Consul was anxious that these operations should have
been extended to Hirat-i-Khureh, Marin jan, etc., but eying to political
unrest in Pars Province the occasion was not considered a suitable one. On
the return of this column. His Majesty’s Consul proposed to His Majesty’s
Minister that the Sha.br Babak district should, if not permanently,, he. tem­
porarily placed under the Govern or-General of Kerman that effective steps
might be taken to stop these robber bands' constantly harassing trade with
Yezd and Meshed. Unfortunately the Pemian Government was unable to
accede to this request.
In October, one squadron of Cavalry under Captain Ccchrane proceeded
to Gakum to protect1 the Military road frtfm Bandar Abbas to Saidabad and
will remain*there for the winter.
Owing to the closure of other routes in Persia, especially during the early
part of the year, Kerman trade°flourished.
Trade.
, , Unfortunately, on the other hand, trade
was hampered by the heavy cost of transport which varied during the year
from 90 Turn am to 80 Tumans per Khar war and later on by the great irresru-
larity of exchange. The Kran exchange has varied from 180 to 300 per 100
rupees and the sterling rate from 28 Krans to 22£ Kraus.
The approximate amount and value of the main articles of trade imported
aur "S w* irom Bandar Abbas to Kerman and Bam, excluding goods