Skip to item: of 520
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

File 1880/1904 Pt 1 'Perso-Afghan Frontier: - Seistan Arbitration.' [‎64r] (132/520)

This item is part of

The record is made up of 1 volume (254 folios). It was created in 26 Feb 1903-31 Dec 1910. 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.

Apply page layout

and pay ns another visit, and stay in our camp as our guest like he did in April
1903. He has taken this auspicious opportunity of availing himself of the
invitation. ,
He paid me a visit in the afternoon, and read out the Amir’s letter.^ The
Amir therein informs the Akhundzada that he is convinced all possible justice
has been done to Afghan interests, and orders that the line defined in my award
should be demarcated. The Amir refers to me as his “ revered friend ”. There
is no indication whatever of any sense of disapproval in the letter, but the
reverse, and the Akhundzada is greatly elated. He (the Akhundzada) says it
affords good proof of his endeavours in all he has written to promote in the
Amir’s mind increased friendship with, and confidence in, our Government.
Personally, I am greatly relieved at this happy ending to a long business, for
I know the risks which Afghan Commissioners incur, and have always done
my best to prevent the Akhundzada’s friendship to us being requited by dis
grace and misfortune.
At the c ■nclusion of the letter, the Amir makes the first reference to the
water question that he has yet made to his Commissioner. He writes, “with
regard to the water question, about which nothing is said in the boundary
award, take care that the present Persian bund is not moved one inch into
Afghan territory, and that no water which now goes to Afguanistan is allowed
to go to Persia ”.
*#*«•**
7th November.
I hear that the Yamin-i-Nizam visited the line of pillars between the
Shelag and the Koh-i-Malik Siah. He took the opportunity of making a visit
to Robat itself, which seems hardly called for, but, 1 presume, if asked why he
did so. he would say that, from the boundary line at the southern foot of the
Koh-i-Malik Siah, the shortest way to his camp at Divvan Chah was met Kobat
and the north-east face of Koh-i-Malik Siah. As I expected, the Yamm has
not visited the .boundary line through the waterless tract south of the Shelag.
8th November.
The rebuilding of boundary pillars on the straight line is progressing
rapidly. The pace of the work is limited by the amount of water which can
i e carried Some 400 camels are employed in this, which is all that our water-
carrying equipment allows of. Most of the week has been extraordinarily
warm for thktime of year, the maximum in the shade going up to 98 , and the
minimum to 65°.
Enclosure No. 22.
Telegram, dated the 19th December 1904).
From— His Majesty’s Secretary of State for India, London,
q 0 His Excellency the Viceroy, Calcutta.
Wan award Your telegram of the 5th November. Sir A. Hardinge,
Seistan awa • , England, prefers draft B with your modifies-
who was consulted beiore leaving 0 ’ * , f m P Vip prefers to keen
firm* of clauses 4 and 8 of preliminary remarks , hut m 10 C he prefers to Keep
Kamal Khan and would retain clauses 2, 3, and 4 of award, as proposed by
Colonel McMahon. The object is to strengthen the hands of our Arbitrator m
Colonel Mcmano wnr n s s i 10U id allow Persia her one-third share of the
insisting that Af n ha Hardinwould also modify clause 5 in the
rxiw-V ° ~<i« »»»»a./™
Government After “ complied with ”, read “ and at the same time, to avoid
necessity of fresh references to Government of India and expense of special
Missions a British officer of irrigation experience should be permanently
attached to Consulate at Seistan. He will be eyP 0 ^ p re™n 0 Officr’concui
tne remainder of the clause remaining as dratted. The Foreign Office concur
with Sir A. Hardinge, and, subject to your observations, I a 0 ree.

About this item

Content

The volume contains printed selections from official papers of the Foreign Department of the Government of India (telegrams, official letters, and extracts from official diaries), and maps, concerning the settlement of the disputed frontier between Afghanistan and Persia in Seistan (also spelled Sistan in the volume) [Sīstān] during the period 1901-10. The papers are mainly in the form of dispatches from the Government of India, Foreign Department, addressed to the Secretary of State for India. Each despatch includes a list of documents ('enclosures') cited. The later papers are accompanied by minute sheets of the Secret Department, Government of India.

The papers cover: the work of the Arbitration Mission under Colonel (Arthur) Henry McMahon (British Commissioner, Seistan Arbitration Commission), 1903-05, including events up to the departure of the Arbitration Mission, proceedings of the Mission, demarcation of the boundary from Koh-i-Malik Siah to Siah Koh, the Seistan water dispute, and McMahon's report (folios 22-30) on the final settlement and demarcation of the boundary between Persia and Afghanistan, followed by a complete list (folios 31-34) of the boundary pillars on the Perso-Afghan boundary; and reports on the distribution of water in Helmand, 1909-10.

The main correspondents are: McMahon; His Britannic Majesty's Minister, Tehran; the Secretary of State for India; His Britannic Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires, Tehran; His Britannic Majesty's Consul for Seistan and Kain [Kūh-e Kā’īn]; and the Amir of Afghanistan.

Each part includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, year the subject file was opened, subject heading, and list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

The map in the back of the volume, on folio 254, relates to the work of the Sistan Arbitration Commission of 1872 under General Sir Frederick John Goldsmid. The last dated addition to the volume is a note on folio 4 stating that a copy of a paper had been sent to the Foreign Office on 12 January 1911.

Extent and format
1 volume (254 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.

The subject 1880 (Perso-Afghan Frontier) consists of two volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/52-53. The volumes are divided into two parts with each part comprising one volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 256; 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.

Written in
English in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

File 1880/1904 Pt 1 'Perso-Afghan Frontier: - Seistan Arbitration.' [‎64r] (132/520), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/52, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100040047749.0x000085> [accessed 29 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

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_100040047749.0x000085">File 1880/1904 Pt 1 'Perso-Afghan Frontier: - Seistan Arbitration.' [&lrm;64r] (132/520)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100040047749.0x000085">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000365.0x000389/IOR_L_PS_10_52_0138.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

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_100000000365.0x000389/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image