§ 51. Sir EDWIN CORNWALLasked the Secretary of State for India if he can give any details of the recent Persian raid into Baluchistan; and whether the country is now quiet?
§ Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe hon. Member is perhaps referring to a rather alarming report quoted from a Russian newspaper. In fact, there has been no Persian raid into Baluchistan recently. Towards the end of September last a Persian Chief, Bahrain Khan of Baranzai, with 3,000 Persian tribesmen, entered Mekran and attacked the Khan of Kelat's forts at Mand and Tump, which were held by the Nazim of Mekran with local forces and a small detachment of the Mekran Levy Corps. These places are respectively about 10 miles and 30 miles within the Mekran border, and more than 300 miles outside the frontier of British India. Failing to take either, Bahram Khan withdrew to the south, and then, on the reported approach of reinforcements, into Persian territory, taking much loot with him. The tribesmen were unusually well armed—a fact attributable to the presence of Germans—with considerable supplies of arms at Kerman. Since September there have been no further inroads.