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'Reconaissance through Baluchistan and Seistan, 1897' [27r] (58/120)
The record is made up of 1 volume (58 folios). It was created in 1897. 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.
(907)
49
Military salaries.
Sartip or Sarhang, at 20,000 karans yearly
Naib, at 4,500 karans yearly
2 Mirzas, at 900 karans yearly
Yawar, at 2,400 karans yearly
5 Sultans, at 1,200 karans each yearly = 6,000
2 Tufangdars, at 600 karans yearly = 1,200
8 Gumers, at 900 karans each yearly = 7,200
580 military, at 90 karans each yearly = 42,200
Total , • • • • •
• •
• •
• •
Rupees
Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
.
8,000
1,800
720
960
2,400
360
2,880
1,740
18,860
Military
pay-
After deducting this sum, viz., 18,860
rupees
Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
, the balance, 273,369
rupees
Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
, is shown
in the books as Wazifas to Sardars, Mullahs, Kad Khudas &c for keeping irregular
forces and other minor particulars, but it only comes under the head of nominal entries.
Net revenue, and all other Imperial moneys
Rupees
Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
.
357,254
Remittance to Khorassan..
Pay and salaries of military and civil departments
Add also cost of uniform given to military once
every two years (I believe) . •
Total ..
45,000
18,860
580
64,440
This deduced from net revenue, gives 292,814
rupees
Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
, which may be called the
net balance or yearly net income in the country. # , n
As regards the country consumption and production, the following figures may be
worked out:—
Population 58,416 at 530* lbs. each yearly
Nomads (Siah Khanas) 8,825, at half of the above
rate being but half the year in the country..
Total ..
Maunds.
621,218
27,200
648,418
Deducting this amount from the net production, we have 55,432 maunds surplus. Surplus
an equivalent of about 2,000 tons in round numbers, and this may he taken
c h a!c C uiaTed y give a fair idea that Seistan, which is in no way larger
in area tha°i an ordinary Punjab tahsil, is a rich soil, and produces a handsome return,
eVe \t\t;^i“Lered and fertile, and everything points to the possibility of
considerable development in the hands of a stable Government.f
The past history, ruins, &c„ all go to show that ancient Seistan was a rich and
prosperous principality. The country is now fast going to ruin, and unless protected by
us, must succumb to our northern rival, and not till then wil i recover its former
prosperity, and enjoy the blessings of good government, of which it is now entnely
‘“‘'‘The following rates for past six years will fairly show that 1897 may he called a Comparison
famine year. In many places we visited, there was a general cry as to the scarcity of i •
this year’s grain yield, the cause of which is explained below.
* This is the sum per head allowed by Indian Government in settlements. . , n a luch Boundary
t Several Baluch
Sirdars
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
and wiseacres wished to know if the ^
Commission had secured the Tarakun lands from the Amir, and were d.sappouded to had that
raj had not obtained them, as they said they were splendid lands, only requiring wa .
N
About this item
- Content
This volume is a confidential report, printed at the War Office, by Harrison and Sons, printers in ordinary to Her Majesty, in 1899, and authored by Major George Washington Brazier-Creagh, Intelligence Division, War Office, concerning the resources, administration and general affairs in Baluchistan and Seistan [Sīstān] following his political mission in 1897. The report contains an introduction by the author, (folio 4), dated 5 December 1898, in which he mentions that details from the report are being incorporated into the Baluchistan Gazetteer and Route books. He also pays tribute to Colonel Bell and Captain Henry Dundas Napier who preceded him, as well as Captain Arthur Henry McMahon and George Passman Tate. The text of the report is accompanied by footnotes and section headings appear in the left and right hand margins.
The report includes a table of contents on folio 5 with the following five chapters:
- 'Chapter I. General Account of Journey across the Baluchistan Desert' (folios6-8), including details of incidents en route, future trade prospects, danger threatening commerical prospects, and a list of leading merchants in Seistan;
- Chapter II. Russian Designs and Political Consideration' (folios 8v-10), includsing details of future policy, approaches to Seistan, alternative routes, influential Sardars of Seistan, treatment of refugees by the British Government, and the feeling of the people;
- 'Chapter III. Resources and Population of Seistan' (folios 11-24), including details of administration, fertile places, a list of villages, climate, seasons and winds, sanitation, population, transport (camels, donkeys and horses), windmills, agriculture, industries and trade, Camel Corps, sport and shooting, locusts, and fish;
- 'Chapter IV. Exploration of the District in the West and South' (folio 25), including details of crossing the Dasht-i-Shelag, pollution of wells, character of country, routes, and pilgrimage;
- 'Chapter V. Land System - Revenue and Productions &c' (folios 26-29), including details of ijaras [ ijārah ], tenant rights and responsibilities, hardship of tenants, collection of revenue, culturable area, annual yield, surplus grain, irregularity and delayed water supply, and ancient ruins.
There is a list of nine appendices (folio 5v) as follows:
- 'A.- Geneaological tables of Sarbandi, Kayani, and Naroi tribes' (folios 30-31);
- 'B.- List of Taoki tribes in Seistan' (folio 31v);
- 'C.- Average temperature of each camp', April to November 1897 (folios 32-35);
- 'D.- Aneroid readings', April to November 1897 (folios 36-39);
- 'E.- List of wells and springs', with serial numbers corresponding to 'Map No. II' (folio 39v);
- 'F.- List of villages', with serial numbers corresponding to 'Map No. II' (folios 40-41);
- 'G.- Table of meteorological observations, Baluchistan' (folios 41v-43);
- 'H.- Table of meteorological observations, Seistan' (folios 44-50);
- 'I.- Table of meteorological observations, Neh and Birjand Districts' (folios 50v-51).
The file also includes five maps and sketches, store in a pocket (folio 58). They are listed on folio 5v as follows:
- 'No. 1. Baluchistan and Seistan' (folio 53);
- 'No. 2. Seistan' (folio 54);
- 'No. 3. Route plan of Robat Nala' (folio 55);
- 'No. 4. Waterways of the Helmund [Helmand] Delta' (folio 56);
- ’No. 5. Nasratabad [Naṣratābād] Fort' (folio 57).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (58 folios)
- Arrangement
This volumes contains a page of contents (folio 5) referencing page numbers.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover, and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.Pagination: The volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
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- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Reconaissance through Baluchistan and Seistan, 1897' [27r] (58/120), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/300, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025688316.0x00003b> [accessed 3 August 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/300
- Title
- 'Reconaissance through Baluchistan and Seistan, 1897'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:57v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence