مجموعة ٨/٢٨ "بلاد فارس؛ اليوميات؛ سيستان وكاين، أبريل ١٩٢٧ – ١٩٣٣" [ظ‎‎١‎٣‎٢] (٤٣٤/٢٧٥)

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Mirza Hussain Khan Mehrdad, Civil
Governor designate of Duzdap, arrived
there on 18th July. Hussain Quli Khan,
Military Governor was however unwilling
to hand over to him and the Kais-i-Tip is
said to have referred to the Amir-i-Lashkar
objecting to the appointment of a Civil
Governor. The Rais-i-Tip complained that
he had no official intimation of the arrival
of a Civil Governor. Mirza Hussain Khan
took over charge of the Governorate on
23rd July. He expressed a wish to co
operate to the utmost with His Majesty’s
Vice-Consulate.
Mirza Hassan Khan Karimi, Naib 2,
has arrived from Meshed and relieved
Mirza Assadullah Khan as officer Com
manding Amnieh, Birjand.
One ‘ Wagner’ a geologist said to be em
ployed by the Persian Government arrived
in Birjand from Tehran on July 3rd and
toured in the district till 9th when he left
for Meshed.
Naib Sarhang Murteza Khan resumed his
appointment as Frontier Commissioner on
29th June. He is making his summer
headquarters at Birjand and will later
proceed to Sistan.
A party of some 30 Revenue officials and
surveyors arrived at Doraksh about 4th
July. Their expenses had to be borne by
the inhabitants. One Albizadeh a surveyor
purchased carpets which he subsequently
sent to Hoshimoff at Meshed.
Mirza Mohammed Khan arrived at Bir
jand from Meshed on 20 th July to take charge
of the office of the Reis-i-Maheh.
The Rais-i-Nazmieh Duzdap is reported
to be acting in agreement with one Abdulla
Jan clerk to N. A. Mullick to raise the hire
of motor lorries for pilgrims to Meshed.
He detains lorries in Duzdap until the hire is
raised to a figure which permits of his receiv
ing Krans 5 per passenger and an increased
hire to N. A.. Mullick’s firm, or his clerk.
This action combined with commandeering
for genuine military requirements at Duzdap
and Meshed caused the rates for goods bet
ween Duzdap and Meshed and Sistan to
advance 100 per cent, about the end of July.
Suleman Khan Asadi, Deputy for Sistan,
has been paying a visit to his constituency.
He has talked largely of the improvements
he is likely to effect shortly in Sistan, but as
his performances have never by any means
equalled his promises the public is little
impressed.
The Governor, Sistan and certain officials
are alleged to have telegraphed to Tehran
that a Court was unnecessary as they could
settle everything satisfactorily. Leading
merchants have telegraphed a ‘ counter
blast ’ to the effect that work is at a stand
still owing to there being no court. The fact
is that the Governorate and Nazmieh derive
pecuniary benefit from the present situation,
although they have no means of giving effect
to any orders made in settlement of dis
putes.
62. Soviet Activities. —Jagorbekian, Ar
menian Attache of the Soviet Consulate
Sistan was in Duzdap from 27th-31st July.
He purchased there a Ford car for the Soviet
Consul.
The Soviet Consul, Sistan is known to
have two informers in Iranshahr. It is
reported in Duzdap that the Soviets have
been landing goods at Bandar Abbas during
the past three months and intend to import
via Chahbar and to appoint agents in
Persian Baluchistan. Jagorbekian was
also in Duzdap from 13th-19th July. He
is said to have stated he wished to open an
agency in Duzdap for Russian petrol, sugar
and cotton piece-goods from Meshed.
Attention has already been drawn in these
diaries to the constant visits to Duzdap of
members of the Sistan Soviet Consulate.
There is some recent evidence that they
are in communication with Baluch tribal
chiefs near Mian Kungi.
The Soviet Consul is reported to have or
dered the following maps from the Survey
of India, Calcutta :
Southern Asia Series, ’’j
North Persia.
South Persia. 3 copies each.
Afghanistan and Balu- I
chistan. j
Sarhang Murteza Khan, Frontier Com
missioner, in conversation with the Attache
of this Consulate, said that it had been re
ported to Tehran that Sardar Khudadad of
Sistan had received from the Soviet Consulate
two bundles of propaganda papers for dis
tribution in Persian Baluchistan. He (the
Sarhang) did not beheve this and considered
Khudadad too loyal. He volunteered the in
formation that he suspected a certain Amnieh
Officer (formerly in the Sistan Levy Corps and
now a British pensioner and in possession of
a British decoration) of being in Russian
employ. The Sarhang also stated he had
information that the Soviet Consulate were
endeavouring to encourage Sarhad Baluchis
to emigrate to Bokhara under promise of
employment to assist Nabi Khan in a future
expedition into North Afghanistan.
An unsigned letter (translation attached)
has come into my possession. It has not
been possible to trace any British official or