File 3217/1912 Pt 1 Persia: Zil-es-Sultan and his son, Akbar Mirza [‎142r] (279/312)

R 2716.
India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. ,
22nd July 1912.
Sir,
With reference to your letter No. 26,801 of the 25th June I am
^directed by the Secretary of State for India to forward, for the information
of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, copy of a telegram dated
I2th July 1912, that has been received from the Government of India
regarding the retention of the Indian cavalry regiment at Shiraz.
That regiment was sent to Shiraz for no other purpose than the protection
of the life and property of British subjects which were believed to be in
danger, and now that the danger has ceased to exist it would naturally be
withdrawn but for the complications arising out of the attack on it while
escorting Mr. Smart in December last.
It appears from Sir W. Townley’s Despatch No. 123 of 18th June, and
his telegrams Nos. 397 and 403 of 2nd and 7th July, that there is no ground
to expect that our demands for reparation will be met within any reasonable
time. In these circumstances Lord Crewe, having regard to the situation
as a whole, would propose for Sir E. Grey’s consideration that our demands
should not be pressed now in a manner that would increase in any way
the difficulty of withdrawing the regiment in October, and is inclined to
think that, in spite of the embarrassment that will be created at Shiraz, the
regiment should then be withdrawn provided that there is then no real
danger to life and property.
But though His Lordship would no longer insist on the surrender and
punishment of the culprits as the necessary condition of withdrawal, it is
obviously desirable that the Persian Government should be encouraged to take
measures such as those indicated in Sir W. Townley’s telegram, No. 415, of
the 18th instant, and from this point of view His Lordship is inclined to regret
that Sir E. Grey does not see his way to press for the appointment of the Zil-
es-Sultan as Governor-General of Ears, as suggested by Sir W. Townley in his
telegram No. 402 of 7th July. It is true that he has an unenviable reputation
for cruelty, but so long as the Persian Government are successful in purging
the province, Lord Crewe does not think it possi ble to apply British standards
to the methods employed by their officials.
According to the information contained in Sir W. Townley’s Despatch,
No. 116, of 17th June, and its enclosures, the state of insecurity on the
Shiraz-Bushire road is worse, and the rates of blackmail levied are higher,
than ever before. Lord Crewe would suggest that the necessity of arriving
at an understanding with the tribes regarding the levy of blackmail should
continually be pressed upon the attention of the Persian Government as a
condition of the effective working of the gendarmerie.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,
(Signed) B. Ritchie.