'Volume I. MEMORANDA REGARDING PERSIA AND NORTH-WEST TRANS-FRONTIER. 1905.' [‎39r] (82/310)

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Customs dues, and then recover them from the
Jask Royalty. On the 31st July, the Govern
ment of India telegraphed to Tehran that the
Russian Government appeared to be importing
goods free for the troops of their detachment
which is stationed at Gumbad-i-Kabus, and that
a similar right might be claimed for our detach
ment at Jask, and a demand also made for the
refund of the amount already paid as Customs
dues. Sir A. Hardinge agrees that we can
insist on any privilege enjoyed by the force
attached to the Russian Frontier Commission
being granted to the Jask detachment. He
states that he will draw the attention of the
Persian Government to this point, but that he
will receive the usual answer, that the Foreign
Minister must make a reference to the Shah
in Europe.
22. Kerman .—Two robberies are re
ported to have been committed on the Bunder
Abbas road. In the first case, a Kandahari
Afghan, who was travelling from Meshed to
Bunder Abbas, was murdered and robbed of
turquoises and other valuables said to be worth
tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. 1,949, and, in the second, which
occurred about ten days later, some Pathan
camel-drivers, British subjects, lost their goods,
the value whereof has not been ascertained yet,
but it is stated that they had tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. 1,020
in cash with them, this sum being the earnings
of three years. These Pathans state that with
them was a caravan of Persians, from whom
the robbers took nothing except a donkey.
The first incident took place near Kilatu
village and the second at Bedu. Both places
are in Ears district within range of Eoulat-
abad.
23. His Highness the Hashmat-us-Sultan
has been appointed Deputy Governor of
Kerman.
24. Captain Haworth (His Majesty’s
Consul at Kerman) has formulated a scheme
for the better policing of the Kerman-Bunder
Abbas route. The scheme is, briefly, to
subsidise Mirza Muhammad Khan, the Gov
ernor of Akta, in order that he may be able to
provide efficient road guards along the trade
route, and also to establish posts at suitable
places along this road. Captain Haworth also
suggests that the Consular escort at Kerman
should be raised from 6 to 24 sowars, in
order that he may arrange for 6 sowurs to
leave Kerman for Bunder Abbas and vice
vend every two months to bring up his
baggage and stores, and to accompany any
British caravan along the road. The scheme
is occupying the attention of the Government
of India.
25. General .—The agitation against M.
Naus and the Belgian Customs officials {vide
Memorandum for June, paragraph 2) is increas
ing in virulence. On the 14th June 1905, Sir