"مجلد I مذكرات بخصوص بلاد فارس والمنطقة الحدودية الشمالية الغربية. ١٩٠٥." [ظ‎‎١‎١‎٤] (٣١٠/٢٣٣)

[ 2 ]
KHORASAN.
Meshed .—There is an increase of ill-feeling
between the Muhammadans and Armenians
at Meshed, and more trouble is apprehended.
Some of the leading Armenian merchants are
preparing to leave, but the Russian Consul-
General is doing his best to dissuade them, and
has given out that, if fresh disturbances occur,
Cossacks will be called in from Askabad.
The case about Abdul Hamid (see Journals
for February and March) has at last been satis
factorily settled. After a joint enquiry into the
case at Turbat-i-Sheikh Jam by Captain Smyth
and Mons. Spinella, Mons. Castaigne lias
agreed to release the assafoetida immediately
on deposit of the penalty now fixed by him,
namely, a nominal fine of tomans 5, plus the
original duty of tomans IB, krans 2. The
£60 deposited by the British Consulate is to
be refunded, and the Customs Mirza at Jam
is to be severely punished.
A report has been received that one Mir
Murtaza, a Russian subject, has applied for a
concession to establish a telephone service at
Meshed.
With reference to the deputation of
additional British signallers to Persia (see last
Journal), Sir A. Hardinge has been asked
whether anything can be done to bring about
the removal of Knayaz Vavchadze, the tele
graph official at Khaf, or at least to curtail his
powers for harm to British interests, as, other
wise, owing to his pro-Russian proclivities, it
will not be possible to obtain full benefit from
the placing of additional British signallers on
the line. It has lately transpired that Knayaz
Yavchadze, who has hitherto been looked upon
as a Persian employe, is in the pay of both
Persia and Russia, and Sir A. Hardinge is
about to demand an explanation on this point.
With regard to the Nasratabad-Robat exten
sion, Sir A. Hardinge says that the matter must
await the return of the Shah, but that he is
confident of obtaining His Majesty’s sanction.
Notwithstanding the assurances given by
the Russian Minister that no more Cossacks
would he sent to Meshed (see Journal for
June), 17 Cossacks under a Russian officer
forced the Customs barrier on the frontier, and
arrived at Meshed on the 18th August. Sir
A. Hardinge says that the Russian Legation
professes to know nothing about this increase
to the Russian Consular guard at Meshed,
and that the Mushir-ed-Dowleh has telegraph
ed the news to the Grand Vizier, and has
instructed the Persian Minister at St. Peters-
burgh to expostulate. The move has probably
been made to frighten the Persian Govern
ment into a settlement of Russian claims on
account of the damage done to the property
of Russian subjects during the recent riots