'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎87v] (179/386)

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to the strength formerly proposed, and that similar escorts should be stationed
at Bunder ^Abbas, Mohammerah, and Shiraz. A guard of not less than half
a squadron was also advised for the British Legation in Tehran. The total
strength of the Persian Consular guards contingent would then consist of 10
troops, or 240 fighting men, and the raising of such a force was in the opinion
of the Government of India, desirable, independent of the contemplated
action of the Russian Minister at Tehran. At the same time, as a further
possible means of increasing and consolidating our influence in Southern
Persia, attention was called to the proposal made by Sir M. Durand in 1896,
to raise a force of Bakhtiaris and Arabs under British officers. The state of
disorder prevailing in the province of Luristan was very serious, and the
results to British influence would be disastrous if a Cossack force from Tehran
were called in to put down the disturbances. The Government of India were
prepared seriously to consider the matter and to co-operate with His Majesty’s
Government in furthering a scheme which they believed to be feasible in itself,
and to be calculated greatly to benefit British and Indian interests in those
important parts of the Persian dominions.
4. On 18th September 1903, the Secretary of State replied, sanctioning 131
Consular guards in Persia, to be distribu
ted as follows :—
Sanction of Secretary of State.
Tehran
... 8
Bunder Abbas
... 6
Tabriz
6
Meshed ...
... 2 3
Ispahan
• ••
... 16
Turbat-i-Haidari...
... 25
Kerman
• ••
... 6
Shiraz ...
6
Seistan
t • •
... 20
Mohammerah ...
... 6
Bushire
... 9
5. This involved only an addition of 62 men, as the escorts by this time in
Total additional sowars Persia numbered—in Tehran* 8, Seistanf
Tota. additional sowars. i 4) Meshed 5, Turbat-i-Haidari 254
Bushire 9, Ispahan 8. With regard to the establishment of an Arab Bakhtiari
force, the Secretary of State said that the time was not ripe for such a measure.
6. Arrangements were duly made by the Government of India for the des-
Unfriendly attitude of the Persian patch of the additional Consular guards,
Government. j n December 1903 the Persian Gov
ernment stopped § the import of 20 rifles for the British Legation at Tehran, and
Mr. Grant Duff in January reported that the Shah disliked the idea of Consular
escorts altogether. The Government of India, therefore, decided not to send
the men until they were assured that they would be allowed to enter Persia.
The only exception was the case of the native officer and 23 sowars required for
Meshed, who, it was proposed, should accompany the cavalry relief for
Colonel McMahon’s escort in Seistan.
7 . No objection to this arrangement was contemplated by Sir A. Hardinge,
Detention of Meshed escort on Persian who said that opposition had never been
frontier. experienced to sowars in small parties
coming into Persia, and considered that the special facilities granted for Colonel
McMahon’s party, of which the number was not stated, should cover the
Meshed escort s arms j hut, on the Meshed escort arriving near the frontier in
April 1904, the Yamin-i-Nizam, the Persian Frontier Officer, requested that
they might not be allowed to enter Persian territory until orders on the subject • * * §
• 8 drafted to Tehran from the original 16 Sowars sent to Ispahan,
t Sanctioned in July 1901.
t Sent up (before sanctioned scheme was received) in connection with the appointment of a Consul at Turbat-i.
Haitian in autumn of 1903, vide Chapter XVI, paragraph 15, page 132.
§ The prohibition was withdrawn in February 1904.