'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia' [‎557r] (1115/1386)

REMARKS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY.
The garrison at Shaikh Junaid has been increased from 750 to 900
Cossacks, as reported from Panjdeh, but this apparently does not represent the
entire number, as small parties of Cossacks are constantly arriving by another
route. At Sarakhs all the camels belonging to the Turkomans have been taken
up by Government for transport, and it is stated that from 100 to 200 camel
loads of supplies are being despatched daily to Pul-i-Khatun and Ak-robat.
From the former place 125,000 lbs. of flour have already been transferred to
Shaikh Junaid.
The news- writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. at Uzun-Ada has been discovered, consequently the in
formation about arrival of troops is somewhat uncertain. As nothing unusual
is reported, it may be concluded that the reliefs are proceeding in due course.
The Russians are reported to be keeping a very sharp look-out now for our
news-writers, and the necessity for having some means of getting information
more rapidly and with greater accuracy is becoming very apparent.
Mention has frequently been made of disputes between the Russians and
Persians with regard to water rights at Sarakhs, and it has been shown how the
Russians have gradually obtained mire and more water until at length two-
thirds have been taken for their use with a correspondingly disastrous effect
to Persian cultivation.
In the beginning of the year, General Kuropatkin was reported to have
claimed up to Naorozabad and Daulatabad, where the springs lie, as Russian
territory, but nothing further came of it at the time. Now, however, not
only is this claim again openly asserted, but the Russian Governor of Sa
rakhs has wheedled some Turkoman elders into giving him a document stat
ing that Sarakhs originally belonged to the Salor Turkomans, and it is evident
that claims on Sarakhs and the lands up to the sources of the springs
will soon be urged on the Persian authorities with more force than hereto
fore. The full importance of this is not apparent at a first glance, but
General Maclean anticipating such a step pointed out some time ago that
the acquisition of a comparatively narrow strip of land on the western bank
of the Hari-rud would give Russia the following advantages :—
(i) It would open up an easy route to Meshed from Sarakhs, passing
over the low pass of Ak-darband.
(ii) The possession of Kandukli, and consequently full powers over
the distribution of water, so that Persian agricultural interests
on that side of the mountains would be completely ruined.
(iii) Possession of the old line of communication between Dushak and
Sarakhs.
(iv) Power of constructing a military road from Sarakhs towards Khaf
on their way to Seistan; thus turning the flank of Afghanistan.
It has been decided that in July next boundary pillars shall be erected
from Baba Durmaz to the vicinity of Sarakhs, in accordance with the boundary
defined on the map which accompanied the secret convention of 1881.
It has also been agreed that the Hari-rud shall form the boundary from
a point 9 miles north of Sarakhs to Zulfikar.
General Kuropatkin’s Emissary, Rahman Kuli Khan, has been indefati
gable in his efforts to stir up disaffection in Afghan Turkistan, and has been
so far successful that he obtained the seals of four of the principal chiefs to
a blank paper. This he filled up to the effect that the inhabitants of Turkistan
were weary of Afghan oppression and eager for their deliverance by the
Russians.