File No. 861.00/1787
The Consul General at Moscow (Summers) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 13, 2.14 a.m.]
454. General de Candolle, chief British railway mission to Rumania, has reached Moscow from Baku via Astrakhan and Saratov. Left Baku April 21.
Confirms reports recently submitted from this office on Caucasus conditions as far as it is possible to judge from Baku. Communication between Baku and Tiflis difficult, owing activities Tatars, who are opposed to the Soviet authority in Baku. If Turks advance beyond Kutais and Kars, probably the only line of withdrawal for Allied military missions and consuls in Tiflis will be over Georgian road to Vladikavkaz. Railway communication between Vladikavkaz and Petrovsk interrupted by mountain tribes near Grozny and just west of Petrovsk. At Grozny these people have fired the new oil field comprising about one third of the gushers. Remainder of field at this point and whole field at Baku intact but not working full owing to labor conditions. Caspian Sea Fleet operating and Volga now open to navigation, but usual oil shipments up Volga Valley have not begun.
Latter part of March Smith sent Doolittle with telegrams from Tiflis to Teheran via Baku, Enzeli. Doolittle sent back word much disorder northern Persia and would probably be unable return by this route, quite closed as [to] British by insurgent Kuchik Khan who has stirred up famed [fanatic?] tribes and controls whole Caspian littoral. British officers endeavoring to enter into Persia via Meshed.
De Candolle states he is reporting at length to War Office, London, recommending show of force by British, advance toward Tabriz and Enzeli, coupled with conciliatory attitude toward Tatars and rest of Armenians, who are disturbing element which, so far as possible to judge from Baku situation, rather out of hand, and Turkish agents operating among Tatars are having considerable success.
Party American refugees from Tiflis reached Samara 28th. Hope to proceed through Siberia.