File No. 861.00/1336
The British Embassy to the Department of State
Memorandum
The British Embassy present their compliments to the Department of State and have the honour to communicate to them the following information which has been received from the Caucasus by [Page 623] His Majesty’s Government, and which may be of interest to the United States Government:
Petrovsk and Krasnovodsk are in control of the Bolsheviki. The railways and telegraphs between Baku and Tiflis are controlled by the Tatars. Foreign intervention is opposed by the latter, who desire that the land shall be restored to the Turks. They have 70 field guns, 150 machine guns, and 20,000 rifles, and are concentrated at Elisavetpol, Lenkoran, and Kachmez. They are being organized by German and Turkish released prisoners. The Russian evacuation is complete. It is the intention of the Moslems to hold the regions of Resht, Elisavetpol, and Baku. The Bolsheviki are working with the Tatars.
[Received March 21.]