ملف ٣٥١٦\١٩١٤ الجزء ٧ "الحرب الألمانية: بلاد فارس" [ظ‎‎١‎٢‎٢] (٥١٩/٢٤٩)

j
Telegram R., No. 1109 B., dated (and received) the 14th May 1915.
From—The Hon'blb Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Cox, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., Poli
tical Resident in the Persian Gulf, Basrah,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Depart-
ment, Simla.
Following from His Majesty’s .Representative at Shiraz, 139
Begins. Please refer to Cox’s telegram, No. 1081 B., which only reached
me to-day.
I venture very respectfully to express fullest agreement with general
principle (of) proposals put forward by Cox. As Your Excellency is aware
I have long been urging some definite line of policy on the part of His
Majesty’s Government towards Ilkhani’s two great tribal groups in Pars.
Neither I believe have any desire to see Southern Persia involved in disastrous
war, and I believe if I were now authorised to make to them certain proposals
on lines of those advocated by Cox it might be possible with their help to
keep peace in Southern Persia even in event of other parts of the country
being forced into hostilities by German intrigues.
If His Majesty’s Government agree that attempt should be made to do so
I would request permission to enter immediately into negotiations with
Kawam and Soulet on lines proposed by Cox and I venture to submit follow
ing further suggestions :—
Firstly, that Your Excellency should endeavour to obtain Shah’s telegrams
to Kawam and Soulet informing them that it is his special desire that country
should remain neutral and [come into forcing ( Padjuring)] them to use every
effort to observe his wishes in this respect and to maintain peace and order in
Southern Persia.
Secondly, immediate nomination of Zil-es-Sultan or other royal Prince as
Governor-General, Ears, who should issue similar instructions and should
nominate Kawam to officiate for him until his arrival.
Both Kawam and Soulet would attach importance to such authority and
would, I think, hesitate to adopt our proposals without it.
I venture to urge if any such policy is to be adopted necessary instruc
tions should be issued with least possible delay. Meanwhile adoption of
suggestion submitted in my telegram No. 137 would enable Kawam to begin
at once to collect force for protecting town.
Addressed Tehran ; repeated to Basrah, Bushire.
32
Telegram P., No. 1110 B., dated the 14th (received 15th) May 1915.
From—The Hon'ble Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Cox, R.C.I.E., C.S.I.,
Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Basrah,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Depart
ment, Simla.
Although the telegram from His Britannic Majesty’s Minister which was
repeated in my No, 1106 of the 14th instant showed the situation to be improv
ing, I repeat following telegram from Bushire :—Please refer to your tele
gram, No. 1086 B. Since the affair which took place last Thursday our troops
are holding (possibly ?) posts, as in Colonel Smith’s defence scheme on Mashila
and south of Sabzabad, and are in good position to prevent any attack by
tribesmen unless in (considerable ?) numbers.
“ In the event of war breaking out, the Officer Commanding the troops is
of opinion that he would, with only one battalion at his disposal, be obliged to
withdraw all his posts and occupy Malik’s house. This would, to my mind, be
great mistake as it would leave greater part of island free to be overrun by
tribesmen and mean loss of prestige and would absolutely invite attack;
besides eventually we would have to retake these posts.