'Memorandum by the Rev. G. P. Badger on the Pretensions of Persia in Beloochistan and Mekran, drawn up with especial reference to her Claim to Gwadur and Charbar' [‎7v] (14/20)

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Ormara is the prominent feature, for the name itself did not seem familiar to the
inhabitants at the time of my late visit.—( Vide Appendix A.)
5. The outer boundaries may be roughly indicated as follows: N Kharan
and Seistan ; E., Jhalawan and Lus Bela; S., the sea j and W., Bunpoor the
Kohistan, and those Persian dependencies near Bunder Abbass farmed bv the
Imaum of Muscat. *
Politics and History.
* Kedge, Punjgoor, Much, Urboo,
Koolaj.
6. The sea front may be even more clearly defined as the country west of the
Malan clifts up to Chedar, or between 65 and 59 degrees of longitude This as
nearly as possible, is believed to illustrate modern Mekran, part if not* the whole
of the ancient Eastern Carmania, or the “ Carmania altera” of Ptolemv
—(Appendix B.) ^
7. As regards present possession, out of the 15 provinces enumerated by
Pottinger, the best evidence procurable gives only
five* to the Khelat State—one, i.e., Choubar, to the
Imaum of Muscat, and the remaining nine to Persia,
as immediate tributaries or subject to demands for
tribute. And of those marginally noted the Khan
derives no revenue from Urboo whatever, as it has been ceded for many years by
f Vide Appendix C. the Khelat Chiefs to their nominal vassals the Jams
. , , . 0 ^ Uela/f* But, as above stated, I cannot speak
with confidence on the precise subdivision into districts. The matter is of
no great importance in its general bearing on the question under report
and could readily be solved by either Colonel Henry Green or the Resident at
S. I will now proceed to discuss the rights of Persia to those portions of
Eastern Mekran to which she has laid, and continues to lay her claim. ‘ And first
without reference to the Imaum of Muscat, whose
hold of Gwadur is rather opposed by the Khan of
Khelat than the Shah. It is shown on good autho
rity, that Jalk, Bizuk, and Sibb are not only subject
to occupation by Persian troops, but that in 1856-57
they were so occupied from the neighbouring pro
vince of Seistan. In February 1860, Major Henry
Green reported a similar occupation of Kusserkund
1 he town of Gaik, by some called the capital, by
the late Captain Grant the “second city in Mekran’’
r . .■ # and ^e head quarters of Mir Abdoola Gitehki hn«
been also reported as Persian. In fact, as stated by Major Merewether in his
letter last marginally noted, the Persian encroachments on Western Mekran have
brought the boundary “ to the 62nd decree of I i^ ave
Khan’s Mekran being in 62° 30.” ? longitude, Kedje, the capital of the
9. As to her right, I know of none but of the strong over the weak of the
prestige of a h,gh-sound,ng monarchy over the obscurity of a small chiXm More
t an one hundred years ago. Nadir Shah appointed Nussir Khan Brahiu the Revler
he g wa rG ° V J r Tt r ? f th6 Wh ° Ie of Beloochistan . inclusive of Mekran, andin such caplcitv
he was no doubt to some extent a feudatorv of Persia • W n;Aw i P c ty
AfffhanV- 6 ^ 8 h - G exchan 8; ed the 9 uasi service of the Shah for that of the
g an King His allegiance to Candahar was no less binding than to Persia It
was the allegiance exacted by a stronger arm than his ownf^ When the Afehan
monarchy fell to pieces, the service ceased; but Beloochistan also fell to pieces and
its Chiefs set up claims of independence for themselves. Then came the opnortunitv
for Persia to regain what she had lost. She had ho wpvpv in °PP ortu nity
prize to recover, and could allow her Governor of Kirman o/a sTV° f® 3 *
Bunpoor to proceed leisurely in the work of onnression and sei- f ' l ' ’ 0 " IIia,e . at
served obsolete claims ri/w„ , , °PP res i slon , and set forth, as occasion
active in this re-assertion of Mekran” Aeignty Pe ThrnresentTate th f an ) £ s . ual }y
Colonel Jacob to Secretary to
G-overnment of India. No. 69 of 4tli
February 1856.
Major Merewetber to Commis
sioner in Sind, No. 210 of 18th April
1857.
Do. Do., No. 300a of 28th
June 1860, and accompaniment.
Appendix to Kinnier’s Memoir
of Persian Empire, 1813.