Papers of the Interdepartmental Conference on Middle Eastern Affairs [‎130v] (260/290)

G
to enable it to deal effectively with any probable developments from
Itnzeli and to maintain the stability of the situation at Teheran after
the Shah’s return.
\
General Radcliffe said that the General Officer Commanding-
Mesopotamia, had been asked what he could do in this respect
Scattered along the line of communication between Hamadan and
the railhead at Kasr-i-Shirin was a force of about 3,000 rifles, who
were largely sappers and pioneers working on the road. It might
be found possible to spare some of these men to reinforce Norperforce
He thought that the Chief of the 1 mperial General Staff would
accept Mr. Montagu’s suggestion as regards Enzeli, but that he
would prefer to withdraw the Tabriz detachment at once.
General Cobbe concurred, and said that he would have liked to
withdraw the labriz detachment long ago. He did not think that
there was any urgent necessity for the withdrawal from Enzeli, and
he was doubtful whether the threatened Russian flank march would
come off.
Mr. Montagu said he still found it a little difficult to understand
why the War Office pressed for the withdrawal of the Tabriz
detachment. We appeared to have the choice of running away now
or later. General Radcliffe had pointed out that the man on the
spot was always inclined to hang on as long as he possibly could.
M ould it not be enough to give him similar orders to those proposed
for the Commander at Enzeli ?
The Chairman suggested that he should telegraph to Sir Percy
Cox, informing him of the various opinions expressed and inviting
his views on Mr. Montagu’s proposal, and that the War Office
should agree to defer action until a reply was received.
General Radcliffe concurred.
Mr. Oliphant, replying to a question by the Chairman, said that
the Foreign Office were awaiting a reply from the War Office on the
question of the refugees at Enzeli, and that the Admiralty were
being consulted as to the disposal of the volunteer fleet.
The Conference decided :
lhat no action should be taken pending Sir Percy Cox’s reply
to the proposed telegram from the Foreign Office.
Persian Loan.
Mr. Oliphant raised the question of finance, dealt with in Sir
Percy Cox’s telegram No. 274 of the 15th May.
Sir George Barstow reminded the Conference that the Forehm
Office had recommended in August last the cessation of the
moratorium payments. This had, however, proved impossible, and
not long ago suggestions had been made that the March and April
payments should be set against the loan. Later on a similar
suggestion had been made with regard to the May payment,
the ireasuiy had agreed if the Financial Adviser concurred but
Mr. Armitage Smith had objected. He had therefore discussed
the question with Mr. Oliphant, and afterwards with the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, who had sanctioned the payment of 350,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. up
to and including May, of half this sum for June, and of a quarter
for July, provided that the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. agreed. Mr. Armitage
Smith had now recommended the continuance of this financial
support until September. The amount of the estimates this year
for Persia was 85O,0O0Z.; a sum of 500,000Z. of this was the Imperial
share of the Persian loan, 275..000Z. were for South Persia Rifles
and 75,000Z. for the Cossack Division.
Mr. Oliphant pointed out that we would lie bound to meet
Mr. Armitage Smith’s demands, even in the unlikely event of his