CHAPTER 12
Once the go-ahead to recall Edrich to India had been taken and the telegraph despatched to him, Clarke and Routledge arranged a meeting with General Harris to discuss the Kashgar Mission.
‘How long before everyone arrives?’ asked General Harris.
‘Washbrook and Hutton will be here by the end of the week, sir, Edrich sometime next week. Exactly when will depend on how quickly he can get a ship from Basra,’ Routledge explained.
Clarke added, ‘All the stores they need are currently being requisitioned and everything should be ready for them to go as soon as possible certainly by the end of April. Major Edrich will be promoted to temporary Lieutenant Colonel and will replace Robbins in Kashgar. Major Washbrook will lead the military side of the mission into Turkestan.’
‘The only fly in the ointment might be the weather, General Harris. It could delay us for possibly a week or so,’ Routledge suggested.
‘Quite,’ said Harris who stood up and walked to the window. He surveyed the scene for a moment. ‘The mission may not go immediately indeed it still may not happen at all. It seems that London have not made up their minds whether they wish to proceed. There appear to be problems that must be sorted out. These problems will come as no surprise to either of you. They are of course the Chinese and the Afghans.’ Harris turned and walked back to his desk and sat down. ‘The Chinese Government has not yet given permission for this mission to leave from their territory. We obviously hope that this will be given. Thoughts?’
‘The Chinese, sir, should I think, want to find out what is happening in Russia as much as we do,’ said Clarke positively. ‘If war had not broken out in Europe, Russia almost certainly would have tried to conquer Sinkiang and assimilate it into their Empire. But since the Chinese Emperor’s downfall in 1912, the Peking government has been gradually re-taking active control of their far-flung outposts. Russia’s upheaval should enable the Chinese to re-establish firm control of Sinkiang.’
‘Actually they never do worry what other countries think do they, Clarke?’
‘No. They only are interested in what happens within their borders. Maybe we should be playing the Russian expansion theme again, colonel?’ Clarke looked at Routledge.
‘Possibly the Sinkiang tribes could be roused by the Russians to revolt against China if their brethren in Turkestan are doing the same against Russia.’
‘Are they likely to and would that help us or hinder us?’ The general stared at Routledge.
‘Well the native Sarts, revolted last month against the Bolos but it didn’t succeed. We have reports that a lot of the Sarts were killed. I suspect that if the Sarts failed to throw off the Russians then the Chinese tribes will stay quiet - I see that as neither a help nor a hindrance.’
‘There is our dear friend the Emir of Afghanistan, what about him, Clarke?’ Harris asked.
‘We know he will not like the fact that what we are proposing is a military mission. He knows that the Russians have been our friends whether he knows that they no longer are quite so chummy with us we don’t know. But, no news from Kabul as yet as to which way he may go.’ Clarke’s voice trailed off as he stared into space. Clarke focused his eyes firmly back onto the two soldiers before him as he thought what to say, ‘he may have the same worries as the Chinese - any potential tribal conflict in Russia could spill over into Afghanistan.’
‘The more we delve into this the more it confirms that we have no idea what is happening, or what people are thinking in Turkestan, so this mission makes sense. We must assume, for the moment, the mission will go ahead so get it in readiness as soon as possible, gentlemen. This has been a most informative meeting, thank you.’ The general’s nod of the head to accompany his last phrase indicated the meeting was at an end.
‘General, there are a couple of things about getting up a mission to go to Tashkent that perhaps London have not realised and that we did not discuss at our first meeting or today,’ said Clarke.
‘And, what pray might that be?’ demanded the general.
‘Indian subversives,’ replied Clarke.
‘Ah!’ The general allowed his countenance to change. ‘You’ve been speaking to our friend, Langridge, the policeman. What is he saying? Does he know something?’
‘He thinks that our friend Rohit Panchal is in Russia and that he may be trying to get back to India via some indirect route. It seems these Bolsheviks are all for giving natives the power to run their own governments whether it is in Russia itself or India.’ Clarke noticed the look of puzzlement on the general’s face, ‘I think what the Russians say and what they do may be rather different.’
The general stared at Clarke for a moment, ‘undoubtedly – rhetoric versus action.’
‘So, sir, Langridge thinks the Bolos may well be helping Panchal to come back here. There may also be a number of other subversives coming back with Panchal. Langridge would like to know whether Panchal is in Tashkent. If he is then maybe we could do something about him and his cohorts,’ said Clarke.
The general looked really interested at this statement. His favourite reading was the spy fiction written by Le Quex and Buchan. In his mind he knew that Langridge didn’t work in the glamorous world written about by those two men; but in his imagination he always felt that Langridge did exist in a shadowy cloak and dagger world that was so much more appealing than his own. ‘I think all three of us would agree that we would rather not have that gentleman back here. How does Language know about Panchal?’
‘Well he wouldn’t tell me how he knows, general, but I know he has sources close to many of the native parties who are causing us trouble already. Superintendent Langridge doesn’t know of our interest in Tashkent it just popped out in a discussion I was having with him about the war. So anyway sir, Indian subversives are another reason for someone to go up to Turkestan and have a look and a listen.’
‘So to sum up’ said the general. ‘The couple of chaps we would be sending into Turkestan to find out what is happening there solves London’s need to know about the military situation but our own worries about the subversives led by Mr Panchal.’ The general smiled and added, ‘we kill two birds with one stone. I like that.’
‘Yes, sir.’ Clarke and Routledge said in unison.
‘That does put a different light on the affair. Maybe this mission will not be such a wild goose chase after all.’ The general’s countenance changed suddenly, ‘you said Langridge knows that this scoundrel is in Tashkent come on share it with us, how does he know?’
Routledge smiled to indicate that the general had been sharp, ‘I told a white lie, sir.’ Routledge saw the general stiffen so he went on quickly, ‘he’s not there yet. We have intercepted a wireless message saying that Panchal was en route from Moscow to Tashkent. Moscow has told Tashkent it must provide him with as much support as possible to get back into India.’
‘Perhaps he’ll get bitten by a snake,’ said the general gruffly. ‘No, that only seems to happen to decent chaps.’
‘One other thing, general,’ Clarke spoke slowly, ‘if we do need to stir the tribes up outside India and this Panchal manages to get here the chances of it spilling over our borders increases dramatically.’
‘Let us cross that bridge when we come to it, Mr Clarke.’ The general looked from one to the other of the men sat before him. Nobody moved so the general went on, ‘is there something else?’
‘Meshed, general,’ reminded Clarke.
‘Right, I was just about to come onto that. I had not forgotten. Now where are we with Meshed?’
‘Mawle and Fernee being seem very happy to go to Meshed, as there is a chance of some action for them both. I thought you would like to know.’
‘Good to hear that from soldiers, Mr Clarke. I have work to do so I must crack on. I’ll wish you both good morning.’ Routledge and Clarke stood up and turned to go. ‘One thing more, gentlemen,’ the pair stopped and looked at the general, ‘well done.’
The Cotton Spies Page 13
