ملف ٣٤٤٣\ ١٩١٤ الجزء ٣ "الحرب الألمانية: أفغانستان وبلاد فارس؛ العملاء الألمان؛ القوات البريطانية في شرق بلاد فارس" [ظ‎‎٨‎٠] (٣٤٥/١٧١)

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Enclo. 1 to Serial No 194.
Copy of a ' log’ telegram No. 47, dated the 24th, January 1916, from His Britannic Majesty's
Vice-Consul, Birjand, to His Britannic Majesty's Consul, Si&tan and Kain.
I visited Saukat yesterday and we talked for two hours with result that
I am perfectly convinced he is with us, and ready to help us in evemhin?
He is astounded that Minister should think him tainted with Nationalism and
wanting in fidelity to us or Eussians, and stoutly maintains that he has
absolutely nothing whatever in common with Nationalists or Germans but
has simply followed policy of his Government with, if anything, friendly 'bias
towards us and Russians, with whom he knows perfectly well fortunes of
country are bound. Erorn the first he has been willing to help us secretly
in any practical way which would not openly brand him as a traitor to his
country but we have never asked him to undertake anything practical. He
fully realizes and appreciates present position of closer friendship, but he still
feels Cabinet are playing a double game by not giving him definite instructions
If Prime Minister or Minister of Interior instruct him to oppose Germans by force
of arms he wifi do so willingly, but even telegram received through Minister
(of which he received repetition yesterday) only tells him to oppose agitation
and maintain tranquility. He is ready to exceed these instructions by helning
us in any way we can suggest, but he thinks it only fair to expect open and
honest instructions from his Government, something in the shape of a c Sanad *
I suggested he could help us particularly in obtaining reliable information
from P r0vl ^ c 6s He jumped at it and says he will send special men to
iaoas, Khabis and Kerman, and form a complete scheme of intelligence. With
supplies too he can help us in any way we suggest. If we tell him our
requirements for the next few months and also for the coming year he will do
is utmost to see that we get it, and it can be done without touching his
private pocket to the tune of 15,000 Tomans, which last year’s journey to
^istan actually cost him after deducting presents he received. The 3 Revenue
Department possess accurate data of all grain held here and at Sistan.
On receipt of telegram through Minister he passed* it on to Deputy
# I regret that this seems to he untrue. Governor, Sistan, and ordered him to give
F. b. Peideaux,— 5-2-1916. y^ u possible help, and yesterday he
wired again that those instructions had
been repeated.
not imagine^rhv ^n Ur messa £ e ^ officers. He was relieved but said he could
is perfectlv sur/aH l 1 , sus P ecte ^ °f them with pro-German bias, and he
is perlectly sure all three are loyal to him and Government,
Enclo. 2 to Serial No. 194,
^ 1916 ’f rom m> Britannic MajeHfs Consul
Birjand. ° hauiat ' ul ' Muli > through His Britannic Majesty’s Vice-Consul,
E*eto« N ; w f la ‘* ^ " tb T °"
when you harhomwl° fm- 16 ' wa ^ 1 s billing to help us in any reasonable way. But
you went out to Gib undoubtedly or a “ ?° Ur h ° me ’ ^
b.ci G rc,si d “r ““
from ™5h”™”“g“S. e ° ThS'n "US/™ “ 0nl, ' ° f e " i ” 5 “
the GermaiTwrigim/witl 2^ Winokelmann that only one month ago
Afghanistan. S l s passed b ? a road south of Birjand to
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