‘Military report on south-west Persia, including the provinces of Khúzistán (Arabistan), Luristán and part of Fars.’ [21r] (46/470)
The record is made up of 1 volume (231 folios). It was created in 1885. 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.
21
His Royal Highness the Zil-ul-Sultan having heard of my arrival in
Isfahan, 1 obtained permission to visit him. He express-
Zil-ul-Sultan. himself as favourably affected towards the British,
and gave me letters for the road to Bushire as well as a letter to the llkhani
of the Bakhtians now at Ardal, and whom I had already visited at Ab-i-bid
[see page 5).
He also sent me his photograph taken as a general in Prussian uniform,
a gift which proved of value, and which being freely exhibited gained for the
party honourable treatment. The Zil-ul-Sultan, the eldest son of the Shah,
but by an inferior wife, z.e., not of the Kajar royal blood, and therefore not
his heir, has gained a name for ability and impartiality combined with
strictness and energy. He is the most able of the ShatPs sons, and no doubt,
when the time comes, will contest the throne with the heir-apparent, a weak,
bigoted and debauched prince. He at present governs about one-third of
Persia, his jurisdiction extending over Pars, Luristan, Arabistan, \azd, Isfahan,
and Burujird, ?.<?., South, West and South-West Persia. r Ihe Shah has placed
under his independent control 17 of the 70 battalions composing the Persian
army [seepage 145), and he has been allowed to import 6,000 Martini-Henry
rifles and one and a half millions of cartridges.
He protects all religions, and under his rule oppression has ceased to
harass the Armenians,* so plentifully scattered throughout his jurisdiction.
He is fond of manoeuvring his troops, and by granting them favours and
paying them at times, he leads them to look to himself as their chief and
protector. He affects many uniforms of which the Prussian seems to be
most in favour at present. No doubt he does not adopt the soldier's dress
without an object. In figure he is short and stout; his countenance is not a
benign one, and a east in his eye imparts to it a cunning expression.
1 brought to his notice the very insecure state of the roads in Luristan.
His Royal Highness answered that he had dealt leniently with the tribes
hitherto, and that his clemency had been mistaken, by them, for weakness,
but that he would now act with severity. Silence was kept concerning Hajji
All's inhospitable conduct; to have mentioned it would, no doubt, have given
a wished for opportunity of imposing a fine which he was quite unable to
meet.
Leaving Isfahan on the 27th May, Ardal was reached by the stages
below:—
May 27th, Bagh-i-Wahsh, distant
„ * 28th, Bagh-i-Wagarun „
„ 29th, Deh-i-Kurd „
„ 30th, Khareji „
„ 31st, Avdal »
5 stages
Miles.
Elevation.
17
5,650'
19
6 ,000'
24
6,360'
20
6,303'
22
6,970'
102
along it.
The ascent to
Isfahan to Arctil.
7,960', is a long and tedious pull of one hour's duration;
steep and difficult towards its top. The ascent of the Kuh-i-Seligun, beyond
Khareji, is steep and difficult; it occupied If hours. The hill is crossed at a
* Russia has taken the Armenian Church under her protection.
About this item
- Content
Report marked strictly confidential, prepared in the Intelligence Branch of the Quarter Master General’s Department in India, by the Assistant Quarter Master General, Major and Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Mark Sever Bell, Royal Engineers. The volume was published by the Government Central Branch Press, Simla, 1885.
The contents of the volume are as follows:
- part I, a narrative description of a journey from India to Muhammerah [Khorramshahr], through to the Luristán [Lorestān] hills, to Kúm [Qom]; from Kúm to Gulpaigán [Golpāyegān ], Chaman-i-Sultán [Chaman Solţān], Ali-Gúdar [Alīgūdarz], Imámzádá-Ishmail [Emāmzādeh Esmā‘īl], and the Zaindarúd River [Zāyandeh Rūd] to Isfahán; from Isfahán through the Kúhgehlú [Kohgīlūyeh] hills to Behbahán and Bandar-Dilám [Bandar-e Deylam]; from Bandar-Dilám to Bushire
- part II, a detailed account of southwest Persia, compiled from Sever’s own observations and other available sources
- part III, commercial considerations. A further section in this chapter on strategic observations, which is mentioned on the contents page and marked as secret, is not present in the volume
- part IV, detailed road reports
- appendix A, road reports, Isfahan to Shústar [Shūshtar], Shústar to Shíráz [Shīrāz], compiled in 1881 by Captain Henry Lake Wells, Assistant Director of Persian Telegraphs, with additional annotations by Bell
- appendix B, a list of plant specimens collected in Luristán during April and May 1884
- appendix C, extracts of a paper on the geology of the Turko-Persian frontier, written by William Kennett Loftus, June 1854
- appendix D, meteorological observations at Bushire, from 20 March to 20 June 1885
The volume includes eight maps, two photographic plates, and illustrations throughout (topographical, architectural, anthropological). The two photographic plates and some of the maps are of an earlier date than the volume’s publication date of 1885.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (231 folios)
- Arrangement
A contents page (f 7) and index (ff 222-226) refer to the volume’s original printed pagination.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 233; 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 file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/15/9
- Title
- ‘Military report on south-west Persia, including the provinces of Khúzistán (Arabistan), Luristán and part of Fars.’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:11v, 13r:62v, 64r:82v, 84r:88v, 90r:95v, 97r:190v, 210r:228v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence