"تقارير إدارية ١٩٢٠-١٩٢٤" [و‎‎١‎٤‎٧] (٤١٢/٢٩٨)

peesiak" gulf political residency, 1923.
45
that they carried away Tumans 200,000 worth of loot in camels sheep and grain
while, an unusual thing in such raids, they destroyed what they could not carry
away.
The raid was beleived by the Government officials to be intended to draw
the troops away from the expedition against Zargham-us-Saltaneh but the
destruction of supplies and the carrying away of all campls would look as though
Dost Mohamed were intending to make the assembly of an army in Bam and
Narmashir difficult.
Baluchistan affairs. —Dost Mohamed the de facto ruler of Baluchistan
which province has for some 17 years been out of the control of the Persian
Government has with his myrmidons for some time been giving trouble on the
Mekran frontier. ,
In April he accused British officials of having warned him that the Persian
Goyernment was about to attempt to assume control and of having said thev
would assist him to resist by supplying him with money, arms and ammuniUon,
a wilful perversion of the truth.
In October His Majesty's Government were considering the advisability
of having a special consular officer for Persian Baluchistan and His Majesty's
Consul met His Majesty's Consul for Seistan at Quetta where frontier matters
were discussed with the Hon'ble the Agent to the Governor-General in Baluchis
tan including the subject of the expedition which the Persian Government
propose to send to Bampur next year.
For the present the Persians have decided to occupy Khwash, Bam and
Rudbar on the Baluchistan frontier the latter two being already held by the.
end of the year. The visit of the Amir Lashkar was mainly in connection witlr
this expedition and after visiting Bam and studying the question he returned,
to Ispahan. In the meantime Diwan Begi former Governor of Bam has proceed
ed to Bampur with a Yawar of the Army and is discussing with Dost Mohamed
the question of his submission.
Should he prove recalcitrant columns frdm Kerman and Duzdab will in
conjunction march against him.
Amnieh. —The Amnieh requires to be considerably improved before it can
be considered to be in a satisfactory condition.
It has been posted upon the roads to Duzdab, Bandar Abbas and Yezd as
follows :—
The Amnieh to Duzdab though only 35 in number keep the road fairly safe,
at any rate as far as British interests are concerned, since they are Baluchis.
The fact that in the Sarhad we have been subsidizing the chiefs of the robber
tribes may also have something to do with the fact that the post is practically
never molested.
^ On the road to Bandar Abbas there are apparently no men at Daulatabad
or in Fars at Pur Ahmedi, the two points at which generally speaking caravans
are attacked. It is interesting that 19 years ago His Majesty's Consul put up a
scheme for the protection of the road much on the line now adopted but laying
stress on the necessity of garrisons at the points named.
Condition of Country. —-Excellent rain fell during the winter and spring
continuing to the end of May.
Floods occurred in the early part of February causing very great damage
in the country both around Kerman, Rafsinjan and Sirj an. The damage to
" kanats " was very great amounting to several hundred thousand tumans.
A part of the poorer quarter of Kerman town was destroyed some 30,000
tomans worth of damage being done. A sum of 940 Tumans was subscribed in
Tehran and Kerman for the sufferers and the Russian Consulate gave Tumans
540 which was distributed through Dargahi.
A very severe earthquake occurred on September 22nd at 1 a .m v in the
morning. The centre of the earthquake was at the foot of the Lalehzar moun
tain 60 miles from Kerman. In Googher village 80 people were killed at the
first shock. The total casualties amounted to aboilt 300 to 400.
There were no casualties in Kerman town but many houges were damaged.
Trade. —The trade that the town of Kerman and much of the district live
upon is the export of carpets and it is well to emphasize this fact by placing it
first before dealing with the question in general or in detail.
LcGlFD