'Volume I. MEMORANDA REGARDING PERSIA AND NORTH-WEST TRANS-FRONTIER. 1905.' [‎97v] (199/310)

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the Hashmat’s former agent at Meshed. The
Muavin-ut-Tujjar is now on had terms with the
Hashmat owing to the latter’s refusal to hand
over the revenue grain to Muavin-ut-Tujjar’s
notorious agent, Abdul Karim, who went to
Seistan last year under Russian auspices to
take it over. It is said that the Hashmat will
not return to Seistan at present, as he feels
ashamed of having been deprived of the Kain
Governorship by his younger brother.
Mons. de'Bont, nephew of Mons. Castaigne,
the Director-General of Customs at Meshed,
has been appointed Customs officer at Koh-i-
Malik Siah (see last Journal) and has been
directed to proceed there at once.
The Seistan Mission crossed the border
into Baluchistan in two parties on the 19th
and 22nd May, much to the regret of the
common people of Seistan, to whom the Mission
had been a regular source of employment;
while the purchases of supplies, &c., had
circulated much ready money throughout the
country. It is satisfactory to record that the
conduct of all ranks of the Mission towards the
people of the country during their long stay
has been exemplary, and, notwithstanding the
watchfulness of ill-wishers, not one serious
charge of misconduct has been brought against
the Mission. The entire party arrived at
Quetta on the 17th June, having experienced
great heat in crossing the desert—the tem
perature ranging from 112 to 122° in the shade.
They travelled from Nushki by the new rail
way, though the line has not been yet declared
open to general passenger traffic.
The Ministry of Customs has sanctioned,
provisionally, the export of ghi from Afghanis
tan to India via Seistan. Mons. Molitor
obtained this concession at the request of the
British Consul, as the traders do not care to
send their ghi direct to India through Afghan
territory.
With reference to the reputed sale of
Seistan Crown lands mentioned in the last Jour
nal, the Mushir-ed-Dowleh affects to believe
that the sale has not taken place, but, at the
request of Sir A. Hardinge, he telegraphed to
the Grand Vizier, who is with the Shah, on the
subject, saying that the British Minister had
protested against the step, if true, as a breach
of pledges given by the Persian Government.
The Governor-General of Khorasan and the
Yamin-i-Nizam both declare that there is no
foundation for the report, but as the British
Consul-General at Meshed is positive of the
correctness of his information, and as the
Mushir-ed-Dowleh has received no reply from
the Grand Vizier, he is, at Sir A. Hardinge’s
request, making further enquiries.
The Director of Customs in Seistan has
shown the British Consul the new passport
reylement, which he says comes into force