'Volume I. MEMORANDA REGARDING PERSIA AND NORTH-WEST TRANS-FRONTIER. 1905.' [‎122v] (249/310)

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points to unusual activity on the part of the
people in arming themselves. The Tashkand
and Samarkand treasuries have been broken
into, and looted of large sums of money : this
is supposed to be tbe work of the Armenian
revolutionary committee, as at Tashkand the
robbers were Armenians and Georgians.
The following information has been
received from an Indian trader lately returned
from Bokhara:—
{a) the people dislike the Russian rule
on account of the heavy taxes, but are
helpless as they do not possess arms, and that
the Amir of Bokhara, though the nominal head
of the council which governs the country, is
merely a puppet in the hands of the Russians
who constitute the majority of the council;
(J) the news of the Russian reverses in
Manchuria, and of the revolutionary move
ment in Russia itself, was received by the
people with joy; and they were, therefore,
sorry to hear of the peace which has, however,
delighted the troops;
(c) when the Russian troops stationed
in the country were ordered to Manchuria,
they refused to go, and although this insub
ordination was easily crushed, the troops were
allowed to stay where they were;
(d) two years ago, the Russians w T ere
ready to invade Afghanistan, but the war with
Japan upset all arrangements, and the scheme
has not yet been taken up again;
(e) the strength of the Russian troops
in Turkestan, the majority of which are
stationed on or near the Afghan border, is
about 100,000 men, and the troops of the
Amir of Bokhara, who are all old and useless,
number about 12,000 men; and
(/') the pay of the Russian soldier in
Turkestan is about Rs. 1-9-0 a month with
free rations and clothing, and military service
is very unpopular.
As regards trade, the same informant says
that the import of foreign goods, other than
Russian, is strictly prohibited; and that all
trade is practically in the hands of Russian
agents, appointed by the Council, who are
stationed all over the country, and through
whom traders obtain their goods. Disputes
between the Russians and Bokharis have to be
referred to Russian officers, who decide them
with the assistance of Mullas, employes of the
Russians, but disputes between Bokharis are
settled without the intervention of the Russians.
It is reported that 300 Russian soldiers
have been posted at Khum, in addition to the
600 men of the Amir of Bokhara, which forms
the normal garrison; and that the Russians
have built a bridge over the Murghabi River,
opposite the Russian fort at that place.