![Printed copies of letters from Sir Henry Willock to successive British Foreign Secretaries discussing the situation in Persia. [‎5r] (9/14)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x00039d/Mss Eur F126_18_0009.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Printed copies of letters from Sir Henry Willock to successive British Foreign Secretaries discussing the situation in Persia. [‎5r] (9/14)")
Printed copies of letters from Sir Henry Willock to successive British Foreign Secretaries discussing the situation in Persia. [5r] (9/14)
The record is made up of 1 file (7 folios). It was created in 01 Dec 1838-04 Sep 1841. 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.
( o )
of the trans-Indus expedition, united in re^ussting His Lordship to give to the public
service the advantage of his continued presidence.
It will hardly be credited that a measure calculated in so great a degree to influence the
deepest interests of the British Empire in India, as the erection of a new Dynasty in Afghan
istan, should have been undertaken without the concurrence of the
Court of Directors
The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs.
; and
that not an individual of thoir body with the exception of the gentlemen who formed the
Secret Committee
Pre-1784, the Committee responsible for protecting East India Company shipping. Post-1784, its main role was to transmit communications between the Board of Control and the Company's Indian governments on matters requiring secrecy.
was in any way consulted thereon.
I will now enquire what were the advantages expected from the design, what were the
implements employed in its execution, and how far the expectations formed have been
realized.
Persia was supposed to have lent herself unreservedly and irremediably to the views of
llussia; it was therefore proposed to form a barrier nearer India by placing Shah Shuja
on the throne of Cabul. This Prince was represented to Lord Auckland as f< Le Desire" of
the Afghans; a superannuated exile who had not even a title to legitimate succession; Shah
Kamran, the ruler of Herat, being the son of his elder brother.
It appeared to me that the design was fundamentally wrong; that our position in Persia
was still tenable; that the true system of precaution against the approach of Russia was to
keep ourselves as far as practicable from collision, and that a measure, such as that proposed,
which encouraged propinquity, exposed us to the danger which it was our policy to avoid.
I should always be disposed to regard with distrust, aud to adopt with great caution any
recommendation connected with the alfairs of Asia emanating from the wily Court of St.
Petersburgh; yet the wisdom of the suggestion thrown out by Count Nesselrode, to regard
Afghanistan as neutral ground, and to permit hwr to remain independent, was manifest and
convincing to my mind, and I have always regretted that Lord Palmerston did not accede to it.
I Certainly did anticipate difficulty in the execution of the design against Afghanistan,
but I felt that our more serious embarrassment would commence on its successful attainment.
It was very evident to those who had a knowledge of the independent and turbulent
character of the Afghan, that he would not readily brook the supremacy of a prince whom
he had twice hurled from the throne, when imposed upon him for a third time by the hand
of a foreign Power. I anticipated that Shah Shuja would not be able to maintain an independ
ent position; that he must still be supported by our troops and our treasure; and though
we were precipitating ourselves into an entanglement of political and financial embarrassment,
which might almost render India to us an unprofitable and burthensome possession, and from
which we should have the greatest difficulty in extricating ourselves.
I was alive also to the inconvenience of maintaining a military position in a mountainous
country, accessible only by passes inhabited by a lawless and hardy race, separated from
our own territorv by a nation (the Seikhs) hostile in their feeling towards us.
Our most favourable anticipations have been realized—we have fought, we have conquered,
but our troubles have not terminated—glory and military fame have been acquired at a vast
price, countless treasure has been expended; but the object of the enterprize has not been
gained, for where is the projected barrier?
Our position in Afghanistan is precisely that of the French in Algeria as described by
Viscount Palmerston at Tiverton. We have authority immediately on the ground occupied by
our troops, but the safety of individuals is compromised whenever they venture beyond the
reach of British bayonets, and beyond the precincts of the Camp. Every man in the country
is at enmity with us, the public roads are infested with robbers, and communication with
distant parts is only practicable for large detachments. Before we appeared in the character
About this item
- Content
The printed copies of the letters have been brought together as a booklet giving Sir Henry Willock's thoughts on the situation in Persia from December 1838 to September 1841. Sir Henry Willock had spent 23 years in Persia, 11 of which had been spent superintending British relations with the Court of Persia. The letters that comprise the booklet are as follows:
- Letter to The Right Honorable The Lord Viscount Palmerston, 01 December 1838, outlining the background politics in Persia and in particular with regards to the Kings Of Persias ambitions over the last 30 years to conquer Herat, the view the British Government had taken to such attempts and amibitions in the past and the views of the Sovereign who had mostly recently attempted to annex it. The letter goes on to discuss the line of policy which should now be applied to Persia, particularly in light of the British Government's occupation of the island of Karrack, and Sir Henry Willock's belief that the British now needed to regain the confidence of Persia and should unconditionally retreat from the island. The letter also discusses Russia current aims and intentions with regards to Afghanistan, its own empire, trade with India and the need for the British to check its progress. There is also speculation by Sir Henry as to the British Government's intentions of removing Dost Mohammad Khan from power owing to his decision to ally with the Persians in order to remove a rival from power; thoughts on the difficulties of marching Indian troops through Afghanistan and his opinions on the Shah's rival Runjeet Singh and his conclusions that the safest move for Great Britain is to adhere to its alliance with Persia.
- Memorandum to The Right Honourable Viscount Palmerston, Secretary of State, 4 Feburary 1839 offering his opinions on the effects that the British Mission leaving the Court of Persia would have. The memorandum focuses on the disadvantages of this action including leaving Persia open to occupation by Russia; enabling the Shah to occupy Herat; damaging commercial relations between the two countries; the likelihood of Persia discovering Britain does not have the means to cause injury and cautioning that invasion of Persia would be impractical owing to the difficulty in traversing the passes into the country.
- Memorandum to The Right Honourable The Earl of Aberdeen, Secretary of State, 04 September 1841 regarding his recommendations from 1838 to Viscount Palmerston of maintaining the Persian alliance and abandoning the subjection of Aghanistan and his letter of 1839 following the withdrawal of the British Mission from the Court of Persia and other private remarks since which he has made to the Right Honorable Henry Ellis. The memorandum outlines Willock's opposition to the opinions of Lord Auckland and the intention to place Shah Shuja on the throne at Cabul; his dislike of the news that a secret committee Pre-1784, the Committee responsible for protecting East India Company shipping. Post-1784, its main role was to transmit communications between the Board of Control and the Company's Indian governments on matters requiring secrecy. had taken this decision without consulting the East India Company Board of Directors and his belief that the British's best approach in Persia is to avoid collision and to avoid recommendations eminating from the Court of St. Petersburgh. Willock goes on to consider the benefits of a neutral Afghanistan permitted to remain independent which he views as having been the best solution that the British Government threw out; comparing the British position in Afghanistan to the French position in Algeria; considering the potential threats to Punjab of viewing Herat as an enemy; the risk of war with Russia; the need to ensure secession is not regarded as an evil of great magnitude; financial difficulties in India; the cost of war in Afghanistan and the need to retreat from the island of Karrack if friendly relations with Persia are to be restored. Towards the end of the memorandum Willock diverges from Persia to discuss the port of Aden which he believes is only useful as a coal depot and that it should be given up as a way of saving money.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (7 folios)
- Arrangement
The copies of letters have been printed in the booklet in date order.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The file has been foliated in the front top right hand corner of each folio with a pencil number enclosed with a circle.
The file also contains original pagination 2-13 which starts on the verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. of the first folio and concludes on the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of the final folio.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
Printed copies of letters from Sir Henry Willock to successive British Foreign Secretaries discussing the situation in Persia. [5r] (9/14), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F126/18, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023190383.0x00000a> [accessed 20 April 2024]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023190383.0x00000a
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_100023190383.0x00000a">Printed copies of letters from Sir Henry Willock to successive British Foreign Secretaries discussing the situation in Persia. [‎5r] (9/14)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023190383.0x00000a"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x00039d/Mss Eur F126_18_0009.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_100000001524.0x00039d/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F126/18
- Title
- Printed copies of letters from Sir Henry Willock to successive British Foreign Secretaries discussing the situation in Persia.
- Pages
- 1r:7v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence