'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.' [‎94v] (193/386)

in touch with their Chiefs. He reported he had seen the Sipahdar and Kaji Kuti
Khan and that they were quite ready, with the consent of the Persian Govern
ment, to accept the scheme for training mounted or unmounted levies, preferably
the former. Major Burton suggested that the necessity for guarding the
Bakhtiari road and the extension to Kum and Khorremahad would give an
opportunity for approaching the Persian Government. On the 22nd October
the Viceroy telegraphed the above information to the Secretary of State and
addl'd that, subject to discussion with the Minister, he was of opinion that the
scheme for road guards “ should be pursued without delay, more especially
in view of the recent recruitment of 100 Bakhtiaris for the Cossack Brio'ade. ,>
It was further stated that the Indian Government would be prepared to°share
the subsidy with the Imperial Government.
15. Lieutenant Lorimer speedily enlisted the sympathies of the principal
sections (Sagwand, Direkwand), of the Lur tribes. In the spring of 1904 he
travelled to and from Khorremabad and submitted a comprehensive report for
the opening up and protection of the Dizful-Khorremabad road by tlie various
sections of the tribes who were to supply road-guards and construct posts in
return for payments amounting to approximately a lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. . All the
chiefs consulted expressed eagerness to see the scheme taken in hand and to
assist. In the following autumn Lieutenant Lorimer again proceeded to
Khorremabad in pursuance of the policy above stated, having previously
entered into an agreement with the Direkwand chiefs to brin°* him from
Dizful to Khorremabad and take him and Colonel Dou"las^ Military
Attache, Tehran, who joined him there, back to Dizful for a certain sum which
he had paid. On the second day of the return journey the chiefs began to
demand large sums of money alleging that the original agreement was only
for Lieutenant Lorimer and demanding 500 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. for safely takin^ Colonel
Douglas through to Dkful. On the third day while negotiations were pro-
grossing the camp was rushed, all baggage and horses were robbed and both
officers were seriously wounded. After a week’s delay arrangements were
completed with the Sagwands to guard the officers through to Burujird.
16. The Persian Government were immediately requested to take steps
to punish the guilty persons and pay compensation to the wounded officers.
1 hey would not admit their responsibility in the matter on the plea that
the officers had been previously warned of the dangers to which they would bo
exposed. His Majesty s Government insisted on the tribe being punished and at
length in the Spring of UOo the Persian Government set in motion an expedition
to Lunstan for the purpose under His Highness the Ferman Ferma but beyond
the capture of a lew Direkwand Mirs practically nothing was effected, the
Persian Government being unable to pacify the country. As regards the com-
pensation demanded the total claim being about £ 3,000, unless the Persian
lr o \eimnent pay it, the question °f recoveruig it by reduction from the Jask
royalty of £ 600 a year payable to the Persian Government for the telegraph
convention will be considered, ° *
1 v . 1 • 1 Qo/f? Banks inability to prosecute the concession
obtained in 1890 for connecting the sea with the capital rendered it all the
more necessary for Messrs Lynch who had established themselves on the
Kanin to seek other means for tapping the trade in Central and Western Persia.
it Russians on the north were improving communication with the capital for
the passage of tlieir trade hr constructing the Besht-Tehran road and there
were other indications of their intention to endeavour to capture the Ispahan
trade; to catch tlie trade of the south and divert it north. In their own interests
The n HnkhH': V f . t 01 , m P rC¥e connection with Ispahan was urgent.
Hit Bakhtiai i Chiefs had obtained a concession in April 1597, for a road from
Ahwaz (Slimier) to Ispahan. In March 1898 an agreement was entered into
between the Chiefs and Messrs. Lynch Brothers for the construction of a road
i^eh K nth r ^exceeding £5,500 the Chiefs agreeing to pay Messrs.
L}nch Brothers 6 per cent, on their outlay and to repay the capital bv annual
otf C c^d Manh 0 ]90i mai Tl • h6 yea1 ’ 8 i ” ,er0st ai)d instalment toVll due
t ,e ord March KOI. Jins road was open to traffic in December 1899 and
toute Xh th" T ee V tb0 Kanm and . Central 1,ursia maintained by tMs
ionic "Inch thus formed an important link between the Karan river navigated