Page 160 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920

20 PERSIAN QUIP ADMINISTRATION REPORT

In bidding farewell for tho moment to tlio Sowlet-ed-Dowloh
interesting to note that, in June, Herr Wassmuss, the German Consul ?.18
proceeded to Sliiraz whencoho did not return until 1st November.' On
26th September, His Majesty’s Consul reported that tho German c
returned from a tour to Pcrsepolis via Baiza, where most Kashgais were
assembled and spent tho night with Sowlet-ed-Dowleh. The meeting ^
•• accidental and quite a surprise” to the German Consul. The latter **
evidently very busy collecting all possible information regarding the affairs*35
Fare. His activity, considered in conjunction with tho visit of two GCr
*uan
Military Attaches in. the spring, under the auspices of the gendarmerie, sceu^
significant of Germany’s interest in Fars.
Last year’s report shows that this measure surmounted the “ sanction *
Provieion of funds t>r His Majesty's Govora- 8tage,^ but had not actually been put jj,*
ment for the noods of tho Fan Administration. practice. £10,000 had been expended a d
£15,000 had been earmarked for Fars, and His Majesty’s Minister was authorised
to advance up to £6,000 per month from this sum, though no part of the
£15,000 had actually been paid over. A beginning was, however, made with
the new year when M. Stas, the new Finance Agent, arrived at Shiraz. a
meeting with the Governor-General of Fars, M. Stas was obliged to point out
that, although, by the judicious expenditure of £15,000 the Governor-General
would be able to carry on his administration until the end of the current
financial year or about the beginning of March, and would also be able to lav
the foundation for a small mobile force and a system of road guards, he would
then find himself once more penniless at least 4 months before it would be
possible for him to collect any considerable sum in the form of revenue.
The normal monthly expenditure of the province (gendarmerie excluded)
amounted to about tomans 40,000. In favourable circumstances, the
Financial AgentJ believed that tomans 450,000 could be raised as revenue
during the next financial year.
He, therefore, represented that funds should be advanced for the first 4, or
preferably, 6 months of the year, and estimated his requirements at from
Tomans 160—240,000.
His Majesty’s Consul, Shiraz, in reporting these estimates to His Majesty’s
Minister suggested that a sum of £49,000 to £50,000 should bo lent on the
security of the revenues of Fars under the same conditions of security and
control as were imposed in the case of the £15,000.
His Majesty’s Minister replied that £30,000 should suffice and trusted that
M. Stas ’ estimates of expenditure, which appeared high, could be reduced.
On the 8th March, His Majesty’s Minister informed His Majesty’s Consul,
Shiraz, that the negotiations for an advance of £400,000 were well advanced
and that he had instructions to make the condition that not less than £30,000
were to be earmarked for the needs of the administration of Fars.
The financial administration of the province has apparently been
moderately successful in spite of occasional restiveness on the part of the
Mukhbir-es-Sultaneh-
It will be remembered that, in last year’s report, was recorded a proposal
Formation of a force for th« Governor-Genenl bY 2iR Majesty’s Consul that a
of Far*. force, say 1,500 strong, should be graduauj
raised by British officers. It was considered that Swedes were destitute of tne
necessary qualifications. There was some controversy on the question o
whether Swedes should be employed as advisers to the new force^ and tne
attitude of the gendarmerie towards it was perhaps illustrated by their refuse
to permit any of the new arms, ordered for the gendarmerie, to bo handed or
to wie Governor-General’s force; the 8wedes were, however, prepared, as a
of their readiness to assist the Governor*,General to allow them the antiqua
weapons with which the gendarmes were then (in January) armed. These n
were desoribed by His Majesty’s Consul at Shiraz as 300 old rifles of
inferior quality. This offer was coupled with the condition that the ^
administration would help in the cost of transport of the new rifles th011 ^
Bushire to Shiraz. Even this arrangement, however, fell through,
gendarmes were not prepared to risk bringing up the new rifles for some '