Notes Prepared for Reference during Curzon’s Tour of the Persian Gulf, and Other Papers on Persia and the Persian Gulf [79r] (157/678)
The record is made up of 1 file (337 folios). It was created in 4 Aug 1895-21 Nov 1903. It was written in English and French. 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.
11
3
tion of Great Britain as jointly interested with
Bussia in the maintenance of the Persian
kingdom.”
The extent of action open to us was held to be
limited by the following conditions :—
(i.) We have no troops available for the effective
occupation of Persian territory, or even of any
large number of Persian ports; and it is by
troops and not by ships that positions on the
sea-coast must be held.
(ii.) We should run the risk of creating a most
unfavourable impression upon India if we occupied
any ports or districts from which we might pro
bably be forced to retire, either in view of an im
pending collision with Russia, or subsequently to
an outbreak of hostilities.
(iii.) Whatever steps we might take should
be such as to involve as little as possible the risk
of further complications by the intervention of
other foreign Powers in any temporary measures
taken to preserve order in Persia.
The conclusion arrived at was that, in the
contingency above mentioned, of a Russian occu
pation in the north, we should at once occupy
Bandar Abbas, and the three islands of Ormuz,
Kishm, and Hanjam ; that we should protect
and watch British interests at Bushire ; that
we should occupy, or be prepared to occupy,
Seistan, with an adequate force of troops from
India, and that our ships of war should pay
visits to other ports and islands in the Gulf. But
it was held that no other occupation of territory
or operations inland should be attempted.
3. The third question was: “In what parti-
cnlar portions of Persia and by what methods
can the extension of British influence be most
successfully prosecuted and to the best advantage
for general purposes, and for the contingencies
mentioned in questions (l! and (2).”
The answer to this question was determined by
what had been settled on the preceding questions.
We should, it was thought, steadily prepare for
an occupation of Seistan by extending the railway
beyond Nushki, and pushing our trade. We
should reassert our claims at Bassidore and in the
Mosandim promontory, especially in theElphinstone
Inlet, and revert to the jurisdiction of the Chief
of Shargah over the coast from Dibba to Khor
Kalba. All possible care should be taken to prevent
any other Power from gaining a footing at Bandar
About this item
- Content
The file contains papers relating to Persia [Iran] and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , including a document entitled ‘Notes on current topics prepared for reference during his Excellency the Viceroy’s tour in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , November 1903.’ It also includes printed extracts of letters relating to the tour from Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Arnold Kemball, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and Major Percy Zachariah Cox, Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Maskat [Muscat], dated August to October 1903.
In addition, the file includes the following papers:
- Handwritten notes by George Nathaniel Curzon, Viceroy of India, including notes on Muscat, Koweit [Kuwait], and the Mekran [Makran] Coast
- Memoranda concerning Koweit
- A copy of a letter from Colonel Charles Edward Yate, Agent to the Governor-General and Chief Commissioner in Baluchistan, to the Secretary to the Government of India Foreign Department, forwarding the camp diary kept during his tour in Makran and Las Bela, from 1 December 1901 to 25 January 1902
- A copy of a 'Report on a Journey from India to the Mediterranean via the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Baghdad and the Euphrates Valley, including a Visit to the Turkish Dependency of El Hasa' by Captain J A Douglas, Staff Captain, Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General’s Department in India, 1897 (which includes three sketch maps: Mss Eur F111/358, f 138; Mss Eur F111/358, f 158; and Mss Eur F111/358, f 141).
Folios 232 to 338 largely consist of printed copies of correspondence between Sir (Henry) Mortimer Durand, HM Minister at Teheran [Tehran], and the Marquess of Salisbury (Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil), Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, dated 1895-1896, relating to Persia.
The file includes a copy of a Collective Letter addressed by the Turkish, British and French Consuls to the Valiahd regarding the Tabriz Riots, 5 August 1895, which is in French (folios 332).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (337 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in roughly chronological order from the rear to the front 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 339; 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 and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
Notes Prepared for Reference during Curzon’s Tour of the Persian Gulf, and Other Papers on Persia and the Persian Gulf [79r] (157/678), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/358, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100069731504.0x00009e> [accessed 17 April 2024]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100069731504.0x00009e
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_100069731504.0x00009e">Notes Prepared for Reference during Curzon’s Tour of the Persian Gulf, and Other Papers on Persia and the Persian Gulf [‎79r] (157/678)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100069731504.0x00009e"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0003c2/Mss Eur F111_358_0158.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
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_100000001452.0x0003c2/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/358
- Title
- Notes Prepared for Reference during Curzon’s Tour of the Persian Gulf, and Other Papers on Persia and the Persian Gulf
- Pages
- front , front-i, 2r:137v, 139r:140v, 142r:157v, 191v:205v, 207r:212v, 213v:215v, 217r:276v, 278r:278v, 279v:300v, 302r:316v, 318v:325v, 327v:329v, 330v:331v, 333r:338v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence