ملف ٣٥١٦\١٩١٤ الجزء ٧ "الحرب الألمانية: بلاد فارس" [و‎‎١‎١‎٥] (٥١٩/٢٣٤)

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telcgraphie installation which the Germans have erected two miles outside the town.
, 1 / St me Q T a '? e n' th( i t ^ iati was by the apparatus was to the effect
that the ex-Shah has left Odessa for Baku.
Ai Bushire, an incident in wdiich the Governor appealed to Major Trevor to lend
^ slim the assistance of our detachment there, after the gendarmerie had failed him, has
been represented as an attempt on our part to overawe the gendarmerie, and I regret
to say that b arman Farma does not appear to have acted very prudently in the matter,
being disposed apparently to accept the Persian gendarmerie officer’s totally inaccurate
account of the incident. But I have no doubt whatever of getting the matter put
right.
Ah Sultanabad and Hamadan the Furco-German propaganda has been earned on
in much the same way and by the same means, and it is reported that steps are being
taken to open the campaign also at Ivoom, Kashan, Kirin an, and elsewhere. An
application for the recognition of Zugmeyer as German consul at Kirman has been
refused by the Persian Government, but as an exequatur has been granted for a Swiss
named Weber at Hamadan, in spite of the Minister for Foreign Affairs’ assurances to
me that none would be given, I am not confident that it will not eventuallv be
issued.
There is no disguising the fact that the Turco-German campaign has achieved a
very considerable measure of success. It is built up almost entirely on the foundation
of Persian hatred for Russia, and is no proof of any affection for Germany. The average
Persian would like to see Russia defeated in this war, and the attitude shown by the
Swedes who cannot have failed to expatiate to their Persian friends on the greatness of
German military power, has persuaded the Persians that their wish may be fulfilled.
Possibly they do not believe all the German accounts of glorious victories, but they like
to read of them, while the more veracious accounts which we publish of our own
successes are neglected because they are unpleasant. But no thinking Persian wants
to go to war with Russia and England ; the consequences,’ immediate by the stoppage
of trade which would deprive Persia in a few weeks of many of the necessaries of life,
and ultimately, when at the end of the war we have our hands free to deal with Persia,
are too well recognised ; but there is an acute satisfaction at seeing Russia flouted by
the Germans, and public opinion, such as it is, dislikes and opposes any action of the
Government, either in the capital or the provinces, which interferes with German
activity. The Persians hope for nothing by our defeat in the war. They think that
Germany is too far off, and they believe that Turkey would be encouraged by Germany
to recoup herself in Asia for the expenses of the war. They do not understand the
danger of being hustled into the war by the Germans, as were the Turks, and so
continue to play with fire, by hampering the Ministers in their endeavours to maintain
Persian neutrality. If the Cabinet was strong it would not matter, but it is not, and
therefore, as I have endeavoured to explain in various telegrams, we are obliged to rely
on our strength.
In addition to the wireless installation set up at Ispahan, the German Legation has
established a station here, and messages are already being exchanged.
I have, &c.
C. M. MARLING.