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'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎15v] (35/386)

The record is made up of 1 volume (189 folios). It was created in 1907. 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. .

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18
Reform of the Customs administration soon led to tariff revision. Under the
old regime dues were collected on two scales according to the nationality of the
trader? Merchandise imported or exported by foreigners was generally subject
to the 5 per cent duty fixed by the
Tariff revision. Treaty of Turkomar.chai. In the case of
Persian traders, import and export duties were assessed at the lower rate of
2 or 3 per cent, but additional imposts were also levied in the shape of transit
dues. A necessary condition of efficient administration was a unification of
dues. In April 1901, a decree was issued fixing a uniform scale of 5 per cent,
duty on all imports and exports, whatever their ownership, and substituting
a single charge to be levied at the p >rts in place of the various transit dues
which had previously been collected in the interior, and of which but a small
portion had reached the Shah’s coffers. A distinct advance had thus been
made. But it was evident that a considerable increase of revenue might be
expected from a revised tariff carefully prepared to suit the requirements of
Persian trade. Russia, however, under her treaty of 1826, was entitled to
claim a uniform scale of 5 per cent on all imports and exports: while other
Powers were entitled to like treatment by virtue of most-favoured-nation-
rights. A modification of the treaty of Turkomanchai was thus the essential
preliminary of tariff revision. The Russian Government were approached,
and deputed a representative in the person of Mons. Goluboff to discuss the
.rv id o question at Tehran. The negotiations
The Russian Tariff Convention. 1 . j x i* tvt
were long and tedious. No effort on the
part of Russia was spared to secure a tariff calculated to favour Russian trade
to the exclusion of that of every other nation, and in particular of Great
Britain. Prequent attempts were made by the British Minister to secure a
part in the negotiations, but without success. On more than one occasion
assurances were given both to Sir Arthur Hardinge and also, on the occasion
of the Shah’s visit to London, to Lord Lansdowne in person, that no agree
ment should be concluded until the British Government had been given an
opportunity of scrutinising its terms. The pledge was broken, and a Convention
between Russia and Persia was signed at St. Petersburg!! in October 1902.
The tariff rights of Great Britain were confined to that of most-favoured
nation-treatment. Turkey alone, apart from Russia, had any special tariff
engagement with Persia. Prior to the signature of the Russian treaty, care
had been taken to conclude with the Porto an arrangement, which was
intended to rescind the previous Convention with that Power. The document,
however, was ill-drawn, and it was still open to Turkey to claim her previous
rights. The flaw was used to the best advantage. The Minister pointed out to the
Grand ^ izior that Great Britain could still claim under her most-favoured-nation-
rights the same treatment to which Turkey was entitled; and that, despite the
Russian Convention, she thus still had an independent status in respect of her
Customs rights. Our position was not, however, a strong one, for it depended on
the will and power of Turkey to assert the validity of an ancient treaty the terms
of which were held by Persia to have been annulled. If this support should
tail, we should find ourselves dependent on a most-favoured-nation-treatment,
the conditions ot which were liable to constant change at the will of Persia
and a rival Power. The position was one which it was obviously undesirable
to accept, and it was essential that British trade should be secured from further
risk of hoscile tariffs. The Minister suggested that a separate commercial
treaty should at once be concluded with Persia on the basis of the Russian
Convention. The Government of India were consulted, and expressed them
selves favourable to the proposal which was approved by Lord Lansdowne.
1 he arrangement was one which Russia could not but regard with disfavour •
and it was necessary to push the negotiation through with haste and secrecy!
The Minister received Lord Lansdowne’s sanction on 5th February
and the agreement was signed on the 9th of the same month, five days
British Tariff Ccnvention. before the Russian tariff came into force,
. . The course adopted was clearly the best in
the circumstances. The displeasure shown by Russia at the conclusion of the
agreement was a sufficient indication that she regarded her schemes as having
been in a larsre measure frustrated. But the tariff was considerablv less
favourable than
might
have been secured, had it been possible to discuss
N

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Content

Printed at the GC [Government Central] Press, Simla.

The volume is divided into three parts: Part I (folios 5-47) containing an introduction; Part II (folios 48-125) containing a detailed account; and Part III (folios 126-188) containing despatches and correspondence connected with Part I Chapter IV ('The Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ', folios 28-47).

Part I gives an overview of policy and events in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. region during Curzon's period as Viceroy [1899-1905], with sections on British policy in Persia; the maintenance and extension of British interests; Seistan [Sīstān]; and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Part II contains more detailed accounts of selected topics, including sections on British policy in Persia, customs and finance, quarantine, administration, communications, and British and Russian activity in Seistan. The despatches and correspondence in Part III include correspondence from the Government of India in the Foreign Department, the Secretary of State for India, and the Viceroy; addresses and speeches by Curzon; and notes of interviews between Curzon and local rulers.

Mss Eur F111/531-534 consist of four identical printed and bound volumes. However, the four volumes each show a small number of different manuscript annotations and corrections.

This volume contains manuscript additions on folios 8, 11-12, 14, 42 (a sixteen word note concerning the use by the Shaikh of Koweit [Kuwait] of a distinctive colour [flag] for Kuwait shipping), and 62-66.

Extent and format
1 volume (189 folios)
Arrangement

The volume contains a list of Parts I-III on folio 4; a table of contents of Part I on folio 6; a table of contents of Part II on folio 49; and a table of contents of Part III on folios 127-129, which gives a reference to the paragraph of Part I Chapter IV that the despatch or correspondence is intended to illustrate.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 191; 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
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'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎15v] (35/386), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/534, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100070118029.0x000024> [accessed 26 April 2024]

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