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During the year, in this Province, the Russians held 20 per cent, of the trade in
kerosene and petrol, the balance being handled by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company
Limited.
16. Military and Conscription.—Sarhang Abbas Khan, Alburz, commanded
the Kerman Brigade throughout the year. The Column consisting of 750 men.
which had proceeded to Lar last year returned to its headquarters in July 1931,
after the completion of the operations in that district.
The Column was then deputed to disarm the tribesmen inhabiting the districts
of Gavbandi, Shibkuh and the littoral between Lingah and Dasliti-Dasktistan.
The principal rebel chiefs were captured and sent to Tehran.
In October the Officer Commanding, Kerman Tecp, met Sarhang Mohammed
Khan, Nakhjawan, the Officer Commanding .Persian Baluchistan, at Bam, and
discussed measures for the proposed expedition against the Bashakirdi tribesmen.
800 soldiers left Kerman in November and in the beginning of the following month
joined the forces from Sistan and Zahidan at Rudan, where it is stated that later
Mir Barkat of Bcyaban surrendered himself to Sarhang Mohammed Khan.
The local Military band was abolished in August and the men were transferred
to other units.
Naib Sarhang Shakir Khan was in charge of the Conscription Department till
September and his permanent successor in the person of Sarhang Farajullah Khan,
Mushar, arrived in November.
The Conscription Committee started its fourth year’s work in October and the
public are becoming more or less accustomed to the methods of this Committee
which are not as strict as they were in the first two years of their existence.
16. Persian Baluchistan.—The districts of Bam and Narmashir were placed
during the year under the Khwash administration for military and conscription
purposes.
There were no Baluch raids across the Lut during the year under review.
In October it was stated that the Persian Government had issued orders for
the establishment of a Customs House at Panjgur and sanctioned the expenditure
of Tumans 180,000 for the construction of various buildings at the Persian
Baluchistan frontier.
17. Rudbar.—There is now a permanent military garrison at Rudbar which
has greatly weakened the semi-independent rule of Zargham-us-Saltaneh in this
district. The Zargham has however succeeded in getting his rival nephew, Saeed
Khan, into trouble and the latter is now under surveillance in Kerman on charges of
various robberies committed by him in former years on the Bandar Abbas-Bam
road.

British Consulate, Kerman ; G. A. RICHARDSON,

The 25th February 1932. His Majesty's Acting Consul, Kerman.