‘Mr Clarke,’ said Colonel Routledge. ‘Do you have any connection with the American embassy?’
Clarke looked startled. ‘Well I know some of them by name. If I bump into them I talk to them but that’s about it. A most odd question, why?’
‘We got a telegram from Meshed saying that they had received a communication from a chap called Compton who is the American consul in Tashkent.’
‘An American consul in Tashkent? Why on earth would an American be there?’
‘The cotton apparently.’
‘What! They can’t be interested in the cotton. Their own stuff is far better quality.’
‘Well they might not want to buy it for themselves but like us they probably want to stop it getting into the hands of the Hun.’
Clarke leaned back in his chair and pondered for a moment. ‘Of course they just may be trying to set up commercial relations with the Bolos. I wonder what London will say? In the meantime you will want me to talk to Van Rennsberg who is the one I know the best in their embassy. I’ll see if he will come up with anything or whether he won’t say anything.’
‘Why wouldn’t he say anything?’
‘Well he might not know anything. But if the Americans are trying to set up commercial interests in the region it will not be to our benefit so he’s not going to say anything about that. One thing though the presence of an American might help our chaps if and when they get to Tashkent.’
‘Compton actually suggests that not only us but the French should send consuls to Tashkent.’
‘Good God! The French! Why would anybody want them there? Never trusted the blighters myself - they are always just out for what they can get.’ Clarke almost dribbled as he spoke.
‘I think the Americans have a soft spot for the French ever since they supported the Yanks in the War of Independence,’ Routledge said keen to show off his historical knowledge.
Clarke smiled, ‘well I dare say that is true but I wonder if that makes them anti-British?’
‘Our blockade of their trade made some of their businesses very unhappy,’ replied Routledge.
Clarke grunted, ‘money grabbers.’
Routledge laughed, ‘the Persian who bought Meshed the note from this American has been asked by Barber whether he’s willing to go back to Tashkent again. If he does return then somehow he might be useful to the Edrich Mission – if it ever gets to Tashkent.
‘How useful?
‘When this agent returns to Meshed he will obviously carry information and therefore we have an alternative communication route to the more direct but unreliable Kashgar or Peking paths. ’ Routledge stood, ‘let us go and see the general and bring him up to date with these events in Trans-Caucasia.’ He shook his head, ‘the French in Central Asia what a suggestion!’