§ 1. Sir GEORGE SCOTT ROBERTSONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information concerning the state of affairs at Kerman where Captain de Maré with mounted gendarmes and maxims was reported last month to be operating against a large force of Baluchi raiders under conditions which created anxiety in Teheran?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Acland)A force of 130 gendarmes under a Swedish officer proceeded recently from Kerman to oppose a Baluchi force of 1,000 men who had been raiding the Barn district. After a full day's engagement the Baluchis retreated with a loss of 100 men. The gendarmes' casualties were two killed and two wounded. Since then the new Bakhtiari Governor-General has gone to his post with 400 Bakhtiari, with whose aid he should be able to check the Baluchi raiders in future, while the gendarmes carry out their special duties on the trade routes.
§ Sir G. SCOTT ROBERTSONHas the situation of the gendarmes at Kazerun improved at all?
§ Mr. ACLANDI must ask notice of that question?
§ 3. Colonel YATEasked whether the Persian Government has granted to the British syndicate for the construction of the Muhammerah-Khoramabad Railway an extension of its concession; if so, for how long; whether the Persian Government has made any proposals regarding the construction of that part of the line of 1590 which the survey has already been completed; and what prospect there is now of the survey of the further portion of the line being taken in hand?
§ Mr. ACLANDThe Persian Government have extended the period of option for eighteen months. The survey is not yet complete in respect to any portion of the proposed line, and it is impossible at present to make any forecast.