File No. 861.00/2458
The Consul at Tiflis (Smith), temporarily in Moscow, to the Secretary of State1
[Received July 24, 9.35 p.m.]
Food conditions at Baku, June 25, greatly improved, shipments being received from Astrakhan. Garrison 8,000 Armenian troops, Bolshevik 2,500. Caspian fleet cooperating with the above. Enemy force 25,000: 800 German troops, 2,000 Georgians, 5,000 Turkish [Page 638] regulars, balance Tatar irregular formations under Russian and Turkish officers. Germans reported landing inadequate forces at Poti. Armenians here urge landing of small British force at Baku within four weeks would enable Baku to hold out against present enemy force. German agents reported active at Astrakhan. The government here informed Baku has been captured by Ottomans. Report not confirmed. Yesterday’s Moscow papers report the capture of Mosul and Tabriz by British. Please confirm this report.
The new Armenian state reported recognized by Germany and Turkey is limited to 12,000 kilometers, boundary from Delizhan southwest to Alagez, from there south to Echmiadzin and east to Erivan, from the latter to Lake Levan [Sevanga]. State includes the counties of Erivan, Echmiadzin, and Novo-Bayazet.
Reports of Cossack successes in the Kuban are admitted by [omission]. Armavir is reported occupied by Cossacks; 30,000 Armenian refugees concentrated there.
- Sent from the Consulate General at Moscow (No. 712) via Paris.↩