Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎106r] (211/544)

[This Document is the Property .of His Britannic Majesty’s Government^
Printed for the War Cabinet. September 1918.
SECRET.
E.C. 30th Meeting.
4
WAR CABINET.
EASTERN COMMITTEE.
Minutes of a Meeting of the Eastern Committee held in Lord Curzons Room
at the Privy Council Office on Wednesday, September 11, 1918, at 3 p.m.
The Right Hon. the Earl Curzon of Kedlestof, K.G., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E.,
(in the Chair).
Present:
The Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, O.M., M.P.,
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
The Right Hon. the Lord Hardingk of
Penshurst, K.G., P.C., G.C.B., G.C.S.L,
G.C.M.G. [Knight] Grand Cross of [the Order of] St Michael and St George (accolade). , G.C.I.E., G.C.V.O., I.S.O.
(Permanent Under-Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs).
Sir Eyre Crowe, K.C.B., K.C.M.G.,
Foreign Office.
Mr. L. Oliphant, C.M.G., Foreign Office.
The Right Hon. E. S. Montagu, M.P.,
Secretary of State for India.
Mr. J. E. Shuckburgh, C.B., 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. .
Major-General Sir G. M. W. Macdonogh,
K.C.M.G., C.B., Director of Military
Intelligence.
The following also attended:
Rear-Admiral George P. W. Hope, C.B., Deputy First Sea Lord.
Mr. J. M. Keynes, C.B., Treasury.
Major the Hon. W. Ormsby-Gore, M.P. (Acting Secretary).
Situation at Baku. The Chairman stated that the situation at Baku was still
complex and obscure. It was clear that there were differences ot
opinion between General Dunsterville, General Marshall, and the
Commander-in-Chief in India, as to the right policy to be pursued
in the circumstances. The position was briefly this. General
Dunsterville had been in Baku about a fortnight with about 900
British troops, 1,000 Russians, and a number of Armenians. On
the 4th September the Turks were attacking and drawing neare 1 *
to the town, whose fall appeared imminent. The authorities con
cerned had begun to make plans for the situation aftei the
expected fall. General IVIarshall seemed to be annoyed with
Dunsterville, and had sent him four successive telegrams ordering
withdrawal, dated the 31st August, the 2nd September, the 6th
September, and the 9th September. This last was couched in some
what severe terms, and accused Dunsterville of compromising the
general situation in Persia. The War Office had hitherto
supported General Marshall. % They naturally felt annoyed at the
recriminations in which Dunsterville had indulged, when it was