"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [و‎‎١‎٣‎٨] (٦١٦/٢٨٠)

AND THE MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 1907-1908.
83
Major Noel Smith's party of marines with one Maxim gun and crew
occupied the Persian fort from the 21st to 29th April, embarking on the even
ing of the latter d.ate. The marines were meanwhile posted on
the roof of the main building, one Maxim being mounted on the roof of the
Superintendent's house. This party remained on shore till the 14th May.
Lieutenant J. V. M. Biscoe, I.A., arrived at Jask by mail steamer on the
2Sth April with a detachment of 53 men of the H2th Native Infantry from
Nasirabad. He occupied the Persian fort tbe same evening that Major Noel
Smith's marines were withdrawn, and this occupation was maintained until the
23rd May, when it was known that all tbe Afghans who were on the coast
near Jask had reached a point nearly 200 miles up-country.
Early in April 1908, enquiries were instituted regarding the route by
which the Afghans intended to travel back to Afghanistan. About the end of
March some 200 Afghans went up-country accompanying the consignment of
rifles landed at Gabreg and Habt on the 5rd March. They halted at Kamshao-
lak near Ramisk in the Bashkard district, which place was considered to be their
rendezvous, and remained there till they were joined about the middle of May
by an escort party of 500 Afghans, who came down from Afghanistan, arriving
at Eanoch about the 15th April. These two parties were joined later near
Eamisk by 70 Afghans from the Dashtyari district.
Of the Afghans operating on the Biyaban coast, 305, accompanying about
12,000 rifles and much ammunition, left the coast near Bunji on the 30th
April. They travelled northwards to Sarzhai (12 miles north-east of Sirik)
where they waited some days for provisions from Minab, and later continued
their journey north, leaving Sarzhai on the 10th May.
Another small party of 45 Afghans remained on the coast near Bunji to
receive the last consignment of arms landed at Gawah on the 2nd Mayj and
afterwards joined the party of 305 Afghans. Mr. New did his utmost to follow
the movements of these five bodies of 500, 200, 70, 305 and 45 Afghans and
was able to trace them to points rather more than 100 miles from Jask. Their
first intention was that all parties should meet somewhere near Bamisk and
travel together via Bampur, but this route was afterwards abandoned in favour
of the Began route.
Patrols and special kassids were sent north from Bapch and Soorug to
Fanoch and Bamisk to watch the Bampur route and also to Anguhran in Bashkard
to follow the movements of the 305 Afghans proceeding in that direction.
Mr. New was thus able to keep well posted in regard to the movements from
place to place of these bodies of Afghans, but the chief difficulty lay in fixing
their route northwards from points about 100 miles from Jask. The know
ledge of the tract north of Bamisk possessed by patrols and kassids, was very
limited, and as they persistently returned from up=country with information
denoting the location of parties only, it w r as not only most difficult to accurately
determine their northward route, but usually necessitated the despatch of another
kassid and greatly delayed the receipt of reliable information. Fortunately
news reached Jask in time for Mr. New to report definitely that all five bodies
of Afghans had met and were travelling towards Began, and their movements
were about this time picked up by the Inspector in charge of the Central
Persia Telegraph Line at Bam.
Meanwhile on the Baluchistan border timely arrangements had been
made by the Government of India for the interception of smuggling caravans
should they impinge on British territory, the small garrison at Bobat being
reinforced for this purpose by the despatch of some 600 men from the 126th
and 127th Regiments of Native Infantry with three Maxims. The Persian
Government had also been pressed to take concurrent action, and two forces
were simultaneously organised in Seistan and Bam, respectively, with a view
to operating in Persian territory.
The final chapter of the season's record does not properly fall within the
limit of this year's report, but in order to complete the narrative it may be
mentioned that after their experience of last year the Afghans were careful
to keep clear of British territory and had no difficulty in dealing with the
Persian detachments sent out.
T£