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The record is made up of 1 file (388 folios). It was created in 17 Jan 1899-4 Apr 1904. 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.
15
Near ITosainabnd a reception party, consisting of about 30 sowars, dressed
as Persian Cossacks and headed by Sarhang SaadatKuli Khan, was met.
From Hosainabad to Nishabur the following villages were passed :—*
Aslikabad ...
Shamsabad ..
Nekab
Sang-i-nao
...TOO families.
... 50 ,,
... 60
Nishabur lies on a flat plain; when approaching it from this direction no
thing can he seen of the town from a distance as it is completely concealed by
orchards and trees.
At a distance of a mile and a half from the town the orchards and gardens
of Nishabur commence. Emerging from this the high mud built wall of the
town came in sight, this wall is now in excellent repair in striking contrast
to the ruinous circumvallation described in books on the subject. Above the
all hardly any buildings could he descried at all. I skirted the town passing by
the Irak gate on the Teheran road and eventually arrived at the Robat on the
Teheran road where my camp was pitched.
In the afternoon I received a visit from the Muntasir-ul-Dowleh, Governor
of Nishabur, a man of about 53, clean shaven and of pleasant address, and the
Fath-us-Saltaneh, son of the Ivaiyir-ul-Dovvleh, late Governor of Nishabur, and
a relative of the Shah’s. The son is a young man about 20 years old.
They said that there is a considerable trade in grain, hut added that there wa s
no road by which to export it to* Russia, as they did not wish to admit that it
exported to Ashkabad. In the evening I walked to the Ark gate. The site of
the former Ark (for which there is now no necessity) is occupied by a fine
garden. . It had only been commenced six years previously but the soil and
Avater being excellent it had grown up fast. A summer house has been built
on the Avail whence a fine view of the country is obtainable.
. . Uth Ma V 1899' Nishabur. Halt. At about 9-30 a. m. I returned the
visits of the Muntasir-ul-Dowleh and the Fath-ul-Saltaneh. I was received
in a building situated in the Ark garden where the Naiyir-ul-Dowleh was also
present.
In the afternoon the Naiyir-ul-Dowleh paid me a visit.
Formerly the father of the present Naiyir-ul-Dowleh held the Government
of Nishabur for a long time. Three years ago he died and the present Naivir-
ul-Dowleh succeeded to his father’s title and the Government of Nishabur. *On
his succession he commenced to oppress the people of Nishabur, who complained
to the Shah and the Government Avas taken from the Naiyir-ul-Dowleh who
was summoned to Teheranj where he was for about two years. During his
stay at Teheran, the Government of Nishahur was held by the Bayan-us-
Saltanch. Last year the Naiyir-ul-Dowleh was reinstated as Governor of
Nishabur, hut he oppressed the people again, who complained to Teheran and
ultimately he was dismissed and the Muntasir-ul-Dowleh, on the recommendation
of the Rukn-ul-Dovvleh,was made Gevernor of Nishabur.
Though the Muntasir-ul-Dowleh is Governor, still the Naiyir-ul-Dowleh
exercises great authority in the town, and the district, and the former can do
nothing against the will of the latter.
%
It is said that Armenians have been trading in Nishahur for the past 15
years, and that formerly they were three or four in number, hut gradually their
number increased, and at present there are 15 Armenian traders at Nishabur.
They refer their cases direct to the Governor who supports them in recovering
their claims. Armenian traders import from Ashkabad, via Kuchan, piecet
goods, kerosine oil, sugar, candles and other miscellaneous articles, and export
About this item
- Content
The file contains papers relating to Seistan [Sistan] and Persia [Iran].
The file includes printed copies of despatches from the Agent to the Governor-General of India and HM Consul-General for Khorasan and Seistan (Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Martindale Temple), to the Secretary to the Government of India Foreign Department, with enclosed despatches from Captain Percy Molesworth Sykes to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (the Marquis of Salisbury). Skyes’s despatches regard matters including: Seistan; trade routes into South-East Persia; the boundary between Persia and Afghanistan, in relation to the River Helmund [Helmand] changing its course (in despatch No. 5, which includes four sketch maps, folios 12, 13, 14 and 15); Sykes’s journey to Birjand (in despatch No. 7, which includes a sketch map on folio 20); the ruling family of Kain, which also governed Seistan, Tabbas and Tun; Sykes’s journey from Seistan to Kerman [Kirman] (in despatch No. 11, which includes a sketch map); and the direct Kerman-Quetta caravan trade that Sykes was trying to establish.
The file also includes copies of the following papers:
- A despatch from Temple to the Secretary to the Government of India Foreign Department, enclosing a letter from Temple to Sir Henry Mortimer Durand (HM Minister, Tehran), with copies of enclosures, regarding the establishment of a Seistan and Kain consulate
- A letter from Charles Edward Pitman, Director General of Telegraphs, to the Secretary to the Government of India Public Works Department, enclosing a copy of a ‘Report on the Preliminary Survey of the Route for a Telegraph Line from Quetta to the Persian Frontier’ by H A Armstrong, Assistant Superintendent, Indian Telegraph Department, which includes six photographs of views along the route [Mss Eur F111/352, f 52; Mss Eur F111/352, f 53; Mss Eur F111/352, f 54; Mss Eur F111/352, f 55; Mss Eur F111/352, f 56; and Mss Eur F111/352, f 57], and a map showing the proposed route of the telegraph line [Mss Eur F111/352, f 59]
- Letters from Hugh Shakespear Barnes, Agent to the Governor-General in Baluchistan, to the Secretary to the Government of India Foreign Department, enclosing copies of the diary of the Political Assistant, Chagai, for the weeks ending 16 February, 28 February, and 8 March 1900
- Diary No. 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12 of Major-General George Frederick Chenevix-Trench, HM Consul for Seistan (Diary No. 6 includes a sketch map, folio 86)
- A copy of a ‘Report on Reconnaissances Made while Attached to the Seistan Arbitration Commission’ by W A Johns, Deputy Consulting Engineer for Railways, Bombay
- A copy of the report ‘Notes on Persian Seistan’, compiled by Captain Edward Abadie Plunkett, and issued by the Government of India Intelligence Branch, Quarter-Master General’s Department
- Two copies of map signed by Plunkett titled ‘Persian Seistan-Cultivated Area’ [Mss Eur F111/352, f 270]
- A booklet entitled ‘Notes on the Leading Notables, Officials, Merchants, and Clergy of Khorasan, Seistan, Kain, and Kerman.’
- Printed copies of letters from the Government of India Foreign Department to the Secretary of State for India (Lord George Francis Hamilton), relating to the maintenance of British interests in Persia, dated 4 September 1899 and 7 November 1901 (the former with an enclosure of a minute by the Viceroy on Seistan).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (388 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 390; 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. The file contains one foliation anomaly, f 301A
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Seistan' [28r] (55/782), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/352, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100069721602.0x00003a> [accessed 25 June 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/352
- Title
- 'Seistan'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:51v, 58r:58v, 60r:112r, 113r:125v, 147r:218r, 218r, 219r:269v, 271r:301v, 301Ar, 301Av, 302r:388v, 389v:390r, 389r, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence