'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.' [‎111r] (226/386)

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any civilised Government, it was suddenly announced m July 1902 that the
Belgian Director of Customs, who, since February 1902, had become Chief of
the Persian Post Offices, had been instructed to arrange for the extension ot the
postal service from Birjand to Seistan and on to the frontier, that he had taken
over the postal service which had been organised by the Eussian Consul between
Biriand and Seistan, and that he intended to employ the same men between
Seistan and our border. The new service was to begin from 1st September,
from which date the international postage rates were to come into force tor
letters between India and Persia. The Government of India objected to a matter
necessitating friendly interchange of opinion being rushed through in the
manner proposed and in a spirit unfavourable to our interests, and on a protest
bein- lodged by the British Minister in Tehran, the Persian Government agreed
to tlie use of a closed official Consular bag to Nasratabad and Meshed, and to
the employment of Major Bonn’s sowars on the section between Seistan and
Koh-i-Maiik Slab. The arrangement of the further local details, however,
occasioned much friction between Major Benn and the Belgian Customs Officer,
owing to the marked discourtesy of the latter.
74 At length on 1st February 1903, the Persian Postal system was linked
up with an Indian Post Office at Diwanchah-afterwards changed to Koh-i-
Malik Siah Ziarat at the insistance of the Persian authorities who appeared to
think that in calling the mail exchange station Diwanchah which is the actual
name of tlie place, the Government of India harboured some sinister designs.
The Persian Government continued to run only a weekly service to Seis.an and
the British Consul still made his own arrangements for a bi-weekly letter pos-
to Nasratabad and for the parcel post. In March 190i, the Consul represented
that the Mission sowars came daily to Chah Muhnmmed Roza (w.th.n 3o miles
of Na-ratabad), where the road to the Mission Camp diverged, and asked, in the
interests of increasing trade and political considerations for the entertainment
of extra dak System of postal communication used in Moghul India and later by the East India Company. sowars to carry tho Consulate post from Chah Mu.nmme 1 Baza to
Nasratahad The extra expenditure seemed unnecessary so lung as the Mission
sovvars could be utili-ed, and it uas suggested to the Con-ul by the Government
of India that arrangements for a daily post might, be made mi the Mission
Camp This was accordingly effected in April 1901, and these arrangements
continued until the departure of the Mission in May 1905, when sanction was
civen to the entertainment of additional sowars for the maintenance ot a postal
three times a week from Robat to Nasratabad. The postal authorities
at the same time arranged for a tri weekly letter, and a weekly parcel, service
between Quetta and Robat. . . n ,
75 In addition to his duties as arbitrator in the Seistan dispute, Colonel
' McMahon was also entrusted with the
Mirjawa boundary delimitation. delimitation of the Perso-Baluch boundary
from the neighbourhood of Padaha (Mirjawa) to Koh-i-Malik Siah. The
circumstances which led to the necessity for taking action on this pait ot
the frontier were briefly as follows :
^ W;.k .. Knh'i-MaUk
Siah Colonel (afterwards Sir Thomas) Holdioh based his information as to the
northern portion of the boundary on a map which subsequent surveys showed
in no way correctly represented the country under consideratim. the eiror
was due to the delimitation not having proceeded beyond Jalk. \v lule at Jal ,
the British Commissioner decided against proceeding any further north, and
aft t consulting the Persian Commissioner and notifying the Baluch-Af <
^ Pommissioner that ho had decided to lay down the frontier on the
olTmap he despatched a native surveyor to Koh i-Malik Siah with instructions
tn n s iironM bv double marches, to erect boundary pillars as he went to
determini the posiUon of Koh-i-Malik Siah, and to rejoin him as early as possible
deter mtne the PO^ a sketch map in which the pos.t.on of the various
niliars to be erected had been indicated, the surveyor carried out his instructions,
Sar as he was able, making such additions and corrections ^ ^ -=»p as were
possible in the limited time at his disposal, and leturued to Jalk wheie