"مجلد I مذكرات بخصوص بلاد فارس والمنطقة الحدودية الشمالية الغربية. ١٩٠٥." [و‎‎٩‎٦] (٣١٠/١٩٦)

Memorandum of information received during
the month of June 1905, regarding
affairs on and beyond the North-TPest
Frontier of India.
[Note.—T lii» memorandum is liased upon reports, the accuracy of
which it is not always possible to guarantee.]
TRANS-CASPIA, RUSSIAN TURKESTAN,
AND THE PAMIRS.
A famine is feared in Bokhara, and
perhaps all over Russian Turkestan, on account
of failure of the usual rainfall. Prices have
risen, and acts of brigandage are becoming
frequent.
Land taxation presses so severely on the
Turkomans near Kushk that they have an
nounced their intention of emigrating to
Afghanistan unless the taxes are reduced. The
Turkomans recently petitioned the Russian
authorities on the subject, but have not yet
received a definite reply. The Russians* dis
trust of the Turkomans is increasing.
With reference to the movements of
troops and ordnance stores from Tashkand by
the Khokand road referred to in the Journals
for April and May, it has been ascertained that
there is no particular collection of troops in
the Marghilan-Andijan direction. Artillery
is reported at Andijan and Namangaon, which
is unusual, hut there are no guns at Marghilan.
Some fresh movements of troops are re
ported from Ashkabad and Tashkand. The
former reports the arrival of a battalion from
the west and the departure of another east
wards, while Tashkand reports; nearly .2,000
men sent south. There is, however, nothing to
suggest that these moves are other than local
manoeuvres or, in the case of Tashkand, the
breaking up of the large force collected there
last January. The Russian cavalry are out
grazing their horses on the hills owing to dear
ness of forage in the military'centres.
The following is the latest information as
to strength of certain Russian garrisons:—
Merv—2,000 artillerymen (and fortress
troops), 148 guns, 1 regiment of
Cossacks, 100 frontier guards, and 8
battalions of infantry.
Khokand—100 artillerymen, 12 guns,
and 1 battalion infantry.
Marghilan—2J regiments of Cossacks
and 2 battalions of infantry.