'Volume I. MEMORANDA REGARDING PERSIA AND NORTH-WEST TRANS-FRONTIER. 1905.' [‎73r] (150/310)

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Rumours prevailed that the Russians
were about to send a force of Cossacks to
Meshed, and a report was received that a
number of troops had actually been sent from
Ashkabad to the Persian frontier ; but both
rumours and report are unconfirmed.
Turbat-i- Haidari .—The Russians are put
ting up at Turbat-i-Haidari two telegraphic
tape receiving instruments—one for civil and
one for military work—and are arranging to
have a separate room to work in.
SEISTAN.
Early in Eebruary, the Persian Passport
Regulations were introduced on the Afghan
border of Seistan, without any previous notice
being given to Colonel McMahon, and two
Afghans, who have long been in the employ of
the M ission, were seized and taken before the
Customs Mirza at Khwaja Ahmad, and not
released until one of the Mission boatmen left
his “ paggri ” as security. On being informed
of the occurrence, Mons. Molitor said it was a
mistake, and that his orders only applied to
Afghans coming to the Mission Camp to trade.
There is great and growing discontent
among the leading Saiyids, Mullas, and headmen
of Seistan against the Mustansir-ul-Mulk, whose
proceedings forebode danger to their unauthor
ised allowances. They confide their grievances
to the Russian Consul, with whom the Kargu-
zar, Sartip Muhammad Raza Khan, and Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
Purdil Khan are very friendly. A rapproche
ment has also taken place between the Karguzar
and the Deputy Governor. The Mustansir-ul-
Mulk has been very high-handed in his
methods of collection of revenue recently, but
it is believed that he has the support of
the Sadr Azam in this. Mons. Molitor is
reported, in consultation with Mons. Ovsienko,
the Russian Consul, to have telegraphed to the
Hashmat-ul-Mulk on behalf of the Deputy
Governor. There has thus been a complete
re-grouping of parties in Seistan, and the
return of the Hashmat-ul-Mulk would now be
regarded locally as a Russian triumph.
On the 6 th March, Sir A. Hardinge tele
graphed that he had ascertained that the
Hashmat had obtained from the Russian Bank
the money that he required to satisfy the
demands of the Persian Government (see
Journal for January), and that the British
Legation had given its guarantee for another
sum of £800, which the Hashmat was borrow-
in°* from the Imperial Bank of Persia. On
the 22 nd March, Sir A. Hardinge reported
that the Persian Government had agreed to
the Hashmat being given Seistan proper or
Tabas, and had accepted in principle his request
for the grant of supplies to British frontier
posts from Mirjawa and Ladis. Negotiations
regarding questions relating to Seistan and
the Perso-Baluch boundary are proceeding at
Tehran.