![‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎378v] (755/949)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0003c3/Mss Eur F111_359_0768.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎378v] (755/949)")
‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [378v] (755/949)
The record is made up of 1 file (475 folios). It was created in 7 Nov 1901-23 Aug 1905. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
2
bo
have been sent to the Resident at Bushire to forward to you copies of the cor
respondence of 1003 which was transmitted to the
India Office
The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors.
with my letter
dated the 18th June 1903. The status of Abu Musa and Tamb is similar to
that of Sirri prior to the Persian seizure in 1887. In this connection please see
inter alia the letters from Colonel Ross to Sir Drummond Woff, dfited the 10th
August 1888, from Colonel IVilson to Sir Mortimer Durand dated May 1805,
and from Colonel Meade to Sir Mortimer Durand, dated the 13th Decern ici 1808.
The Government of India are of opinion that the results of the policy of re
monstrance in ; 887 do not encourage the adoption of similar action on this occa
sion, and that the controversy now might revive the question of ownership of
Siri also. Repeated to His Majesty’s Secretary of State for India.
Telegram dated the 22nd April 1904.
p rom _His Majesty’s Secretary of State for India, London,
T 0 —His Excellency the Vicer'y, Simla.
Please refer to your telegram dated the 13th April 1904, and Sir
A. Hardinge’s telegram dated the 20th April 1904 regarding Tamb and Abu
Musa. Please inform me whether you have any information as to the invali
dity of the Persian claims and the rights of the Sheikh of Shargah, beyond that
contained in Poreign Secretary’s letter dated the 18th June 1903 and the cor
respondence in the Foreign Department Proceedings, External A., September
1888, Nos. 102-104.
'
Nc. 107, dated Bushire, the loth April 1904.
Prom— Lieutenant-Colonel C. A. Kemball, C I E., Officiating
Political Resident
A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency.
in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
,
To L. IV. Dane, Esq., Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
I have the honour to refer to my telegram dated the 10th instant regarding
the hoisting of the Persian flag on the islands of Tamb and Bu Moosa, and the
posting of Persian Customs House guards on these islands.
2. The facts of the case are as follows: —
Having, towards the end of last month, received a report from the Resi
dency Agent at Lingah that the Director-General of Customs at
Bushire, who was on tour in the Gulf in the Persian Government
ship Mozaffcri, intended to post Customs House guards on the
island of Tamb, I sent the Lawrence to visit this island to ascer
tain if the report was true. Commander Rowseli’s report to me
on his return to Bushire is submitted herewith.
3. The Mozajferi returned to Bushire after the Lawrence had left, and I
then heard that the Persian flag had
Dated 9th Apr 1 1904 , with enclosure.
been hoisted also on the island of Bu
Moosa and that four Customs House tufangchis had been posted there, and
that three men had been posted on the island of Sirri, where, as the Govern
ment of India is aware, the Persian flag was already flying. There is, I
believe, no doubt that this information is correct.
4. I have now received a letter dated 5th April from the Chief of Sharjah
in which he says that he had just heard from Ras-el-Kheimah people that a
Persian Government steamer had called at the island of Tamb, hauled down the
Joasmi flag which was flying there and hoisted the Persian flao* in its stead.
The Chief says that he cannot tolerate this action of the Persians • that the
British Government are aware of the fact that the islands of Tamb, Bu Moosa
and Sir (meaning the island of Sir Abu Nair) belong to him ; and that as he is
one of those enjoying enjoying Treaty relations with the British Government he
hopes they will be so good as to take the necessary steps to prevent such
interference with his territory.
About this item
- Content
This part contains papers mostly relating to British interests in Persia [Iran] and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
It includes a copy of the Board of Trade Commercial Intelligence Committee ‘Report received from Mr. H. W. Maclean, the Special Commissioner appointed by the Commercial Intelligence Committee of the Board of Trade, on the conditions and prospects of British trade in Persia.’
A handwritten note at the front of the file, on folio 5, states ‘Spare copy of notes & correspondence of the “Helmand Control” file (with maps)’. Folio 110 consists of handwritten notes, including one dated 27 April 1904, which states ‘The secret Helmand papers have been printed up, and a set, with necessary maps, is submitted for H.E. the Viceroy to take to England.’ Much of the file concerns the question of controlling the water of the Helmand river and irrigating its whole delta, and the work of the Seistan Arbitration Commission to arbitrate between Persia and Afghanistan on the question of rights to the water of the Helmand in Seistan.
The file also includes reports by W A Johns on reconnaissances of potential railway routes made while he was attached to the Seistan Arbitration Commission, and other papers relating to railways and roads in Persia.
In addition, the file includes copies of the following Government of India Foreign Department Proceedings, which reproduce received Foreign Department correspondence on the following subjects: ‘Selection of a British naval base in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .’, November 1901, Nos. 74-83; ‘Visit of His Excellency the Viceroy to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. during November-December 1903.’, February 1904, Nos. 33-127; ‘Establishment of telegraphic communication with Henjam. Question of the selection of a naval base in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Aggressive action of the Persians at Tamb and Abu Musa; their claim to the Islands.’, June 1904, Nos. 300-388; ‘Reports of the Commercial Mission to Persia.’, June 1905, Nos. 45-111; ‘Question of retaining flagstaffs erected in the neighbourhood of the Musandim Promontory’, August 1905, Nos. 288-307.’
The file also includes: brief handwritten notes written by Curzon on headed paper belonging to the Viceregal Lodge, Simla, relating to Seistan and to Lord Kitchener’s planned reforms for the reorganisation and redistribution of the Indian Army; and a printed copy of the report ‘A Note by Major H.L. [Herbert Lionel] Showers, C.I.E., on the present state of affairs in Kelat and a review of the system of Administration now being pursued.’
The file includes four maps: ‘Map of the Tail waters of Helmand River’ (13 July 1903), f 122; ‘Plan Shewing Proposed Routes for a Railway from Nushki to Afghan Frontier near Robat’ (10 April 1903), f 139; ‘Extract from Admiralty Chart No. 753. (Entrance to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ).’ (October 1901), f 219; and ‘Sketch of route Ram Hormuz to Fellahieh.’ (April 1904), f 230.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (475 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in no apparent order, apart from the Government of India Foreign Department Proceedings, folios 231 to 474, which are arranged in chronological order.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [378v] (755/949), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/359/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100093227831.0x00009c> [accessed 20 August 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100093227831.0x00009c
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100093227831.0x00009c">‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎378v] (755/949)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100093227831.0x00009c"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0003c3/Mss Eur F111_359_0768.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0003c3/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/359/1
- Title
- ‘Persia – especially Seistan’
- Pages
- front, 2r:194v, 195v:196r, 197v:199v, 200v, 201v, 203r:272r, 273v:275v, 277r:405v, 408r:408v, 409v, 411r:413v, 414v:419v, 420v:424v, 425v:432v, 433v:435v, 436v, 437v:443v, 444v:471v, 473r:475v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence