ملف رقم ٣٤٥ لسنة ١٩٠٨ الجزء الثاني "المحمرة: الوضع. نزاع الشيخ مع والي البصرة. تقليد الشيخ وساماً. تجديد التطمينات للشيخ". [و‎‎٢‎٨] (٥٦٦/٦٠)

[This Document is the Property of Hia Britanaic Majesty's ]
PEESIA.
>GONFIBENTIAL.
[September 22.]
Section 10,
[ 43231 ]
No. 1.
Siv W. Townley to Sir Edward Grey.—{Received September 22.)
Secret.)
(No. 188.
Sir
’ qtvtptp i , n , Tehran, August 30, 1913.
SIN CL the affray between the gendarmes and the Bakhtiaris that has formed the
subject of preceding despatches, the question of British officers to instruct the
Bakhtiaris ha| again been raised. It will be remembered that I reported in my
despatch No. 231 of the jth November, 1912, that Samsam-es-Sultaneh, at that time
president of the Council, had expressed to me a wish that His Majesty’s Government
would furnish a pertain number of officers whose duty it would be to organise and train
a force of Bakhtiaris which he estimated at 10,000 men. He owns that he spoke on
that occasion more particularly in his own name, although lie felt confident that in
doing so he was voicing the wish of all the khans. He now says that all his relations
would welcome the advent of British military instructors in Bakhtiaristan, and would
also much like to see them take charge of the 300 men who are to remain at Tehran,
although they realise that it might be difficult to arrange this.
It will be seen from a perusal of a despatch that goes to you, Sir, by this bag that
the general political situation in Persia appears to me to be a very critical one, and that
there is, unfortunately, some reason to fear a recrudescence of troubles in the south,
whilst the recent incident at Tehran can hardly fail to produce no small amount of
excitement among Bakhtiaris. There are evident signs that, for various reasons,
Russian influence is growing apace at Ispahan, which may be looked upon to-day as a
Bakhtiari stronghold. The Bakhtiari Governor-General, Vice-Governor, and their
followers are daily made aware of the fact that Russia’s word is knv in Ispahan, and
that the voice of the British consul-general, in strict observance of the spirit of the
Anglo-Russian Convention, is no longer heard in a town in which British influence was
predominant three or four years ago. From Ispahan to Ahwaz, via the Bakhtiari
country, is not a far cry, and it would appear to me that, unless we speedily do some
thing to prove to the Bakhtiaris and the rest of Persia that we are faithful to our
ancient friendship for the tribesmen that can furnish the backbone of a strong natural
barrier between North Persia and that part of the country in which British interests
are still predominant, we shall find the wedge of Russian influence driven down to the
Karun by peaceful penetration under arms,Vis' my Russian colleague so aptly described
the position in the province of Azerbaijan the other day. No effort is needed on the
part of Russia. In scrupulous observance of our convention, w T e stand aside to-day
from all inteference in Ispahan. Under the circumstances, no one can be surprised if
the Bakhtiaris, on their return home from Tehran and Ispahan, tell their brethren that
the Russian is all-powerful in Persia to-day, and that the friendship of Great Britain,
as a valuable asset, is a thing of the past.
The placing of the large properties of the Zil-es-Sultan under the management of
the director of the Russian bank at Ispahan has doubtless been looked upon as a matter
of small importance, and full credence has been given to the assurances of
M. Poklewsky and others that the Russian Government took no part in the
transaction. Whether this is true or not makes no difference ; public opinion in
Persia recognises in it a fresh Russian move southwards, and M. von Haver, who has
placed armed men on all the properties, has succeeded in resisting the claims of such
an influential man as Samsam-es-Sultaneh to certain villages which he bought for a
song from a man who possibly had but a shadowy claim to them. If M. von Kaver
had not been a Russian he could not have resisted the claim of the former president of
the Council. It is not known at Ispahan
connection with the arrangement under
that the Russian Government disclaim ah
—witix tuc which the Zil’s lands were placed under
Russian protection, but it is known that M. von Kaver is reported to have said that he
was acting under the instructions of the legation. Perhaps he never said it; but
people in Ispahan .believe he did, a fact which speaks for itself.
Were it to be found desirable or feasible to lend the Bakhtiaris a few military
[1870 i/—10]