'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎39r] (82/610)

The Military Commission to be assembled in terms of clause ^g^-.^ erai * a
three of the Agreement began its labours in January, and after commission,
three months’ work presented its report—on which the Persian 1920,
Government failed to take any action. British officers were
afterwards appointed to the Central Brigade, but a few weeks
subsequently in July their withdrawal was demanded by Mushir-
ud-Dauleh, as a condition of his forming a Cabinet after the fall
of Vusuq-ud-Dauleh, pending ratification of the Anglo-Persian
Agreement by the Majlis to render it valid according to the
constitution.
A little later the joint commission for revision of the Customs Anglo-Persian
tariff was appointed, as provided in the sixth clause of the
agreement. Two Customs conventions, of identical tenor, had
hitherto prevailed in Persia—-the Russo-Persian Convention of
1903, and the Anglo-Persian Convention of 1904. The former is
within the scope of the decree of 4th Asad (July 27th, 1918)
issued by the Cabinet of Samsam-us-Sultaneh. The Commission
revised the convention of 1904, and its recommendations were
adopted by the British and Persian Governments. The revised
tariff came into operation on April 2nd, 1920. This revision
increased the duties on most articles ; reduced the duty on tea ;
levelled up the duty on articles of special interest to Russian
trade which had been too lightly taxed under the old tariff;
imposed an exceptionally heavy duty on sugar ; and was designed,
to produce, in a normal year, a revenue more than double the
highest revenue obtained before the war.
The Government also appointed Mr. S. A. Armitage Smith, Financial
C.B., as their Financial Adviser,with powers to reorganize the Adviser,
financial services. He arrived in Tehran, with a small number ,
of assistants, in May. They, however, like the officers in the
Central Brigade, retired in July.
After the British military evacuation of Baku in August p ers ian Mission
1919, a number of Armenians and others took refuge in Enzall. j° e p®^ ai ^ an
Several matters of difference between the Governments of Persia
and (Caucasian) Azarbaijan—rectifications of frontier, trade
and transit regulations, etc.—proved difficult of adjustment.
The Persian Government, who had recognised the Republic and
received its representative, sent Saiyid Zia-ud-Din on a mission
to Baku, in December, to negotiate on these matters, but he
did not meet with much success.
The failure of Denikin’s effort in South Russia raised the Caspian fleet,
question of disposal of the volunteer fleet on the Caspian. The
Persian Government would willingly have bought some of these
vessels, but the suggestion was not carried out. In the month
of February 1920, the fleet appeared off Enzall, seeking refuge.