'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎27v] (59/610)

42
Sip&h Silar
agreement with
Great Britain
and Russia,
1916.
Formation of
South Persia
Rifles, 1916.;
Persian situa
tion at end of
1917 and early
1018 .
such as revision of the treaty of Turkomanchai, and of the
Customs tariff, and of the practice of taking Persians under
their protection. These consessions were whittled away, how
ever, after General Baratoff’s successes and in August. Sipah
Salar as Premier signed an agreement with Great Britain and
Russia authorizing the formation of forces under conti ol of each
power in South and North Persia respectively, and of the
exercise of financial control over the Persian Government in
return for a monthly subsidy of 200,000 tumans to be continued
during the war. This agreement was not signed until August,
when the Russian retreat from Khaniqin again rendered the
situation precarious. 5 days later Sipah Salar was dismissed
by the Shah, took fright at the outcry which such a sale of Persia
would raise, and, fearing lest he might fall into the hands of the
Turks, fled to Kazvln on the road to the Caspian. \ usiiq-ud-
Dauleh succeeded him as Premier at the end of August and
was more friendly with the British as being more moderate than
the Russians. The Sipah Salar agreement was not put into
execution, but was not cancelled. Sir Percy Sykes, however,
commenced the formation of the South Persia Rifles at Kirman
and took over a small body of Gendarmerie. Vusuq-ud-Dauleh
temporized and was afraid to recognize him as chief of a corps
of instructors under the agreement, but subsequently, when
the question of financial control over the Persian Government
was shelved, the.South Persia Rifles were officially recognized as
a Governmental force. The Russian revolution followed by
the disorganization of the Russian forces in Persia, and the weak
ness of Great Britain’s military position in the country promoted
increase in democratic intrigue, and a Committee 1 of Punish
ment ” came into existence and started political assassinations
to intimidate her supporters. The Shah refused to countenance
energetic measures against this terrorism and Vusuq-ud-Dau.eh
resigned on 5th June 1917. His resignation was due to the
Russian revolution, and was a victory for the Anglophobe
democrats who were supreme during the Cabinet of his succes
sor ’Ala-us-Sultaneh.
On the fall of his Cabinet, in November 1917 ’Ain-ud-
Dauleh was called to office, but was unable to form a ministry,
and resigned.
The internal troubles of the country were grave. The
treasury, as usual, was empty, and the ordinary sources of
revenue were unproductive by reason of unrest in many pro
vinces, and of the restriction of trade due to chaos in Russia
1 Anjuman-i-mujaz&t