"الوضع في بلاد فارس، المجلد I" [و‎‎١‎١‎٨] (٣٥٣/٢٣٧)

3
India Office,
If so we are ready to place at their disposal a number of armoured motor
cars with British personnel, which could, m our opinion, be usefu y
employed in patrolling the Kenn,-u,shah-1 laniadan-Enzel. road In return
for P their acceptance of our assistance, and for the establishment of an effective
cordon between the Caspian and the right flank of our position m Mesopo
tamia, we should he ready to withdraw all our regular troops (othei Inin
Consular guards) from the interior of Persia. 1 he question of attaching
British officers to the Persian Cossack Brigade might he raised in the same
connection. Sir C. Marling, it is true, has stated that such a proposal won d
never be entertained by the Persian Government. But until it has actually
been put to them it seems premature to abandon the suggestion in advance,
or to assume that there is no hope of its acceptance if urged tactfully upon
the Persian Government as part of a scheme of traiiquidisation framed m a
large measure in the interests of Persia itself. If further inducements are
needed they might take the familiar form of increased financial assistance.
8 In conclusion, it should be clearly understood that the measures in
contemplation do not include anything in the nature of elaborate mi htary
operations in North-West Persia. Apart altogether from political objections,
it is recognised that the troops required for such a purpose are not available.
WhaWs suggested is that a lieet of armoured motor-cars under ^charge
of British officers aud non-commissioned officers «f Gcnnnl^ Thiustmi-
f,-om -lGmr i SlA-in-nlong thcd^HU,m.diah road, Trrth-goncn,U
- p at rol ef q.-mom-cd —motet curs, under the charge- ol ail ^ 1 . n ,° n 1
jnnrl nffi 1 General Dunsterville’s party, should be established
at soutlierii end of the Kasr-i-Shirin-Kermanshah-l amadau road and
should graduailv extend its operations northwards in the direction of the
"wspia/as circumstances permit. The British officers in charge would have
authority to organise local levies, &c„ as opportunity offered or to take ovei
existing organisations (e.g., the Cossack Brigade) to assjst them in the
woldt. “it is believed that,'given the right quality of officer and he necessary
v 1 i cnivnm’t flip objects in view could be achieved without fuitncr
Swe Zm ’ regular troops. Tlie General Officer Commanding
Mesopotamia, would not be. required to do more than extenu ^gbt flank
,m to the eastern end of the passes loading from Iiak nto ieisia. inese
passes^ it may lie observed, will be clear of snow and open to traffic in
about a month s time.