أوراق اللجنة الشرقية التابعة لمجلس الحرب [ظ‎‎٦‎١] (٥٤٤/١٢٢)

8
Situation in South
Persia.
Aeroplanes for
India.
Baku and the
Caucasus.
is possible to arrange a political control coterminous witli the
area suggested for your military control. \\ hat exactly do you
mean by a voice in direction of leheran policy ?
•
3. Mr. Montagu raised the question whether it were possible
to send reinforcements to relieve the Abadeh situation by the Lynch
road.
General Macdonogh said he was doubtful whether this was
possible. He thought, however, we might perhaps induce the
Ilkhani of the Bakhtiari to help us. 1 he Ilkhani had just defeated
the Kubgelus and might be willing to assist us. It looked at present
as if the Kashgais were not over keen to go on, and they seemed to
be quarrelling with Wassmuss.
The Chairman said he was doubtful if the Ilkhani would be
willing to fight the Kashgais, as this would involve him in a long
feud with that tribe.
The Committee decided—
That the War Office should be ashed to telegraph to General
Marshall to enquire if he thought that any use could be
made of the Bakhtiaris in order to relieve the situation,
either at Isfahan or Abadeh.
4. Mr. Montagu said that it might be advisable to supplement
the number of bombing machines at present available in India for
use on the North West frontier of India, in view of possible
eventualities.
General Smuis thought that in case of emergency these might
be supplied from Egypt.
General Cox pointed out that machines for India had to be
specially constructed, and that consequently reinforcements of this
arm could not be improvised.
General Macdonogh added that machines for the North West
frontier would have to be long-range machines. He thought that
the best thing would be for the India Office to approach the Air
Ministry direct on the subject.
The Chairman said that several Indian Princes in contributing
towards the expense of the war had expressly desired that their gifts
should be devoted to the provision of air-craft. He thought that the
India Office might suggest to the Air Ministry that at least an
equivalent number of modern aeroplanes of a suitable type should
now be placed at the disposal of the Indian Government.
The Committee decided—
To authorise the Secretary of State for India to approach the
Air Ministry in the above sense, and to state in his com
munication that the Eastern Committee regarded the
provision of additional air-craft for India as very
important, in view of possible developments.
5. General Macdonogh said that the General Officer Com
manding, Mesopotamia, had asked (E.C.-G74) whether he should
authorise General Dunsterville to destroy the oil-fields, as the
instructions he had received only mentioned pumping plant, pipe ; -
lines, and oil reserves.
The Chairman pointed out that the War Office telegram of the
20th June to General Marshall (E.C. 653) had stated “If we can
get complete control of Caspian shipping, destroy the Baku pumping
plant, pipe-line, and oil reservoirs, we shall have obtained our
present object ” The Committee at their 13th Meeting, Minute 1,