Page 38 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920

28 PERSIAN GULP ADMINISTRATION REPORT

the case differing in this respect from previous attacks made during the year n
British officers and men : it -would seem that the attack on Captain Eckf0r<i?
party -was only incidental to an attack on a large caravan which had ]er!
fchaneh Zinian before them and which was iust m front: and a number r
mules with their loads were carried off from this caravan in addition to tho&!
taken from the regimental party. Reports as to the number of casualties o
either side were conflicting, but it appears that four gendarmes were wounded
in attempting to follow up the robbers after the incident. Among the latte
it seems fairly certain that two were killed and three wounded.
The Persian Government were profuse in their expressions of regret and
the usual promises to secure the exemplary punishment of those responsible f0r
the outrage, and with this object an elaborate plan of operations was presented
including a punitive expedition operating from a base at Kazerun, as well aj
encircling movements which were to do entrusted to the Government 8 of
Ispahan and Behbahan (both Bakhtiaris) and to the Bakhtiari Chiefs generally
The confident hope was expressed that within one month those guilty would be
captured and brought to justice. The Ministry also spoke confidently of *
body of 300 horsemen who were alleged to be actually pursuing the robbers,
but it doe9 not appear that this force had any material existence.
His Majesty’s Minister expressed the opinion on 16th December that the
Persian Goyernment would undoubtedly prove incapable of carrying out the
above measures, and that in view of that contingency it was desirable that
Government should take steps to prepare an expedition in the spring that would
be able to restore order, and if necessary punish offenders on the Bushire-
Shiraz- road. In the meanwhile, however, he pointed out that we were obliged
by climatic conditions alone to give the Persian Government a delay of two or
three or even four months in which to attempt to execute their proposed
punitive measures and to give the Governor-General a chance of proving his
mettle, the expediency of the latter course having been strongly urged on him
by Major O’Connor. Or. December 18th the Minister for Foreign Affairs
expressed to His Majesty’s Minister his earnest hopes that the Governor-General
would he allowed sufficient time by His Majesty’s Government to execute the
punitive measures now under preparation, in the successful outcome of which
he expressed confidence, adding that he would be the first to welcome a British
punitive force if the measures to be taken by the Persian Government failed.
In reply to an enquiry by His Majesty’s Foreign Office as to the practic­
ability of a Bakhtiari punitive expedition, uuder British officers, if necessary,
all local officers concerned strongly deprecated any such project, and His
Majesty’s Minister likewise regarded it with disfavour.
The Darya Bsgi left Shiraz on December 22nd with a force of about 100
Persian soldiers en route to Kazerun, where it was contemplated that he would
organize on behalf of the Governor-General a small local force of some 600
men with a view to subsequent punitive operations.
Considerable ferment was created at the beginning of the year in Sliirtf
by the despatch of inflammatory telegram*
Ercnti in Qnrs»_
from Najaf and Tehran inciting the tribes
and others to resist “ the southern neighbour ” and certain leading Mullahs is
Shirai actively incited the local population to adopt an anti-foreign attitude;^
which the pricipa! manifestations were a run on the local branch of the Imperial
Bank of Persia and a short-lived bycott of Messrs. Ziegler and Company 1*
particular and of British goods generally. An attempt was also made to
Dycofct the troops, Mirza Ibrahim, a leading Mullah, having forbidden the sale
to them of foodstuffs. The necessary provisions were, however, taken from the
shop by a small party of sowars under a British Officer and the shop-keeper*
informed that payment would be made on application at the Consulate. TJj®
agitation which .was factitious, soon subsided. But the disorder which prevailed
throughout the province reacted, though in a less acute form, in Shiraz itself
and resulted in several attacks on Europeans, including the Manager of tb®
Imperial Bank of Persia and officers of the Central India Horse; whilst ®
Persian servant of the British Consulate was also attacked: the Indo-Europea°
Telegraph Department’s staff were likewise the victims of frequent assault*
The presence of Indian troops and British Officers, no doubt, made opportune