Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎249v] (498/544)

Askabad Government aims at forming, to break the line of
Mussulman Government between Azerbaijan and the Indian
frontier. It is submitted, therefore, that the present is not a
suitable time to withdraw Malleson, and that the Government
of India should be told that His Majesty’s Government have
under consideration the desirability of detaining Malleson’s
Mission where it is for the present, but without granting
further financial assistance to the Askabad Government, at all -
events until they have given more proofs than they have at
present of their stability, and that they be asked to give
Malleson’s views and their own remarks on the proposal.”
Mr. Montagu, proceeding, said that his own difficulty in regard
to the Malleson Mission was threefold in character : (a) The political
situation in this country should make us chary of further military
commitments ; (6) Mr. Keynes, the I reasury representative, had
always informed the Committee that no more money was available
for the continuance of the financial support which had hitherto been
given to the Askabad Government; (c) the general tenor of
Malleson’s telegrams was unsatisfactory, inasmuch as he complained
of feeling that he had not the support of His Majesty’s Government
behind him, and, further, that he could not count on military or
financial support. Mr. Montagu said that he naturally objected to
leaving General Malleson in his present position so long as the latter
felt that he had not the British Government behind him. On the
other hand. General Cox’s Paper argued very ably that Malleson
must remain for the present. Mr. Montagu reminded the Committee
that, at their meeting on the 5th December (E.C.-41st Meeting,
Minute 4), the Committee had decided that the 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. should
inform the Government of India that His Majesty's Government
were prepared to provide at once tor General Malleson s immediate
necessities the equivalent to 100,000£. sterling to be paid in krans
at Meshed ; bufthat this promise of financial support was intended
to meet immediate necessities, and must not be regarded as indicating
that further support would be forthcoming. He would suggest that
a telegram should be sent to the Indian Government, saying that
the Cabinet were now considering General Malleson s position, and
that they were desirous of withdrawing him, but they felt that
he must remain where he was tor the present until the Austro-
German prisoners had been evacuated from 1 ranscaspia. and Itussian
Turkestan.
Sir Hamilton Grant said that he thought that the Indian
Government would be quite prepared to accept the proposal of with
drawing General Malleson as soon as the Austro-German prisoners
had been got rid of. From # the very first the Indian Government
had deprecated the despatch of this mission, as they disliked the
whole undertaking. General Malleson had shown a disposition to
penetrate further than was considered advisable, and it had conse
quently been necessary to issue instructions to him that he was not
to move beyond Merv. As soon as wider considerations would
admit, the Indian Government, he felt sure, would be glad if General
Malleson’s Mission could be recalled. (General Cox’s Memorandum,
paragraph 10.)
General Thwaites said that under General Malleson there were
at present some 1,400 men echeloned between Askabad and Merv.
The reason why Malleson was anxious to proceed beyond Merv was
his desire to secure the crossings of the Oxus.
General Macdonogh said that the suggestion to despatch the
mission into Trans-Caspia originated with the War Office. There
was no doubt that, since the mission had crossed into Trans-Caspia,
there had been a very great improvement in regard to the informa
tion we had received in respect of what was taking place in that
region. He suggested that the British Government should bring
pressure to bear upon Austria and Germany to get.back the prisoners