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‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [14r] (32/617)
The record is made up of 2 volumes (301 folios). It was created in 22 Jun 1896-3 Mar 1900. 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.
9. Surgeon-Major Brazier-Creagh is labouring under a misapprehension
when be says that a necessity exists for protecting traders, on arrival at
Nushki, from brokers and rigged prices” Seistanis are free to dispose of
their wares in whatever market, or place, that may suit them best and no
pressure has ever been put on them to compel them to act otherwise’ Of the
bunnias whose names Surgeon-Major Brazier-Creagh mentioned under his
report dated 12th April 1897—Purso and Jaita Mai left Nushki upwards of
two years ago ; beyond this, no case exists in which a Seistani trader is indebted
to a Nushki bunnia.
P. C. WEBB-WARE, Lieutenant,
Political Assistant,
Enclosure No. 5. ,
No. 1437-C., dated Ziarat, the 29th July 1897 (Confidential).
From—H S. Baunks, Esq., I.C.S., C.S.I., Agent to the Governor-General in Balu
chistan,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1787-F.
dated the 8th July 1897, forwarding certain papers regarding Surgeon-Major
Brazier-Creagh’s visit to Seistan. °
2. 1 am of opinion that it would be well worth the expense to place a
British News-
writer
The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping.
in Seistan. From what we have learnt from Surgeon-Major
Brazier-Oreagh and Lieutenant Webb-Ware of the influence in Seistan of the
Russian News-
writer
The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping.
, I think it would be worth while to send there a representa
tive of the British Government even apart from the interests of the new trade
route, for Seistan is a part of Persia with which British interests generally are
very closely connected. But in addition to this, seeing how easy it is for the
Persians to obstruct the new route by vexatious trade regulations and how cer
tain it is that the influence of the Russian News-
writer
The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping.
will be used against us
in the matter of trade, it appears to me very important that after Surgeon-
Major Brazier-CreaglFs departure a trustworthy native should be left in Nasir-
abad to keep us informed of the progress of events and to, or through, whom
our traders may apply, if necessary, for assistance. It would not be difficult to
find a suitable man for the appointment, and the pay should not, I think, be
less than Rs. 200 a month, apart from the pay of the Kasids or sowars required
to keep up communication with our frontier post at Robat. I enclose, for the
information of Government, an extract from Lieutenant Webb-Ware’s coming
report about his recent tour, which will show that he too is at one with Surgeon-
Major Brazier-Creagh in thinking such an appointment desirable.
3. As regards Robat, I do not consider that any additional official is
required. We already have at that post a jemadar of levies and a
munshi
A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf.
,
though, perhaps, the latter might be better paid. But I do think it is of import-
ance that Lieutenant Webb-Ware should be given a good Native Assistant to
help him in managing the road and the Chageh district and whom he can leave
in the desert during the hot weather. He has already frequently felt the want
of such an officer, and I am sure that the appointment of a native official of
greater weight and influence than the one vernacular
munshi
A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf.
Lieutenant
Webb-Ware at present possesses is really essential in order to help him in his
jirga work and to assist in looking after the country. 1 would place this
official’s head-quarters at Chageh in the hot weather whence he could easily
control the new route via Merui from Amir Chah to Dalbandin, and in the cold
weather he would tour along the route either with or independently of the
Political Assistant in charge as may be most convenient, or could be stationed
between Amir Chah and Robat. It seems advisable that in the hot weather
we should have some one on the 400 miles between Nushki and Koh-i-Malik
Siah of greater authority than the jemadars of levies, and if we are to collect
any revenue from the country, such an
appointment will be a sine qua non. I
would fix the pay of this native official at
Rs. 150 rising to Rs. 200, and would give
him for the present an office establishment
costing about Rs. 90 a month.
1
Munshi
A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf.
Rs.
. 40
1
,
.
.
. 30
2 Peons at 10
•
•
.
. 20
Totai
. 90
About this item
- Content
The volumes contain papers relating to Persia [Iran], including Seistan, and the tract of land south of the Baluch-Afghan boundary between Nushki and Persia, which had become British territory following the demarcation of the Afghan-Baluch border.
The papers largely consist of printed copies of correspondence between the Governor General of India in Council (Government of India Foreign Department) and the Secretary of State for India (Lord George Francis Hamilton), and enclosed correspondence and papers.
Letters from the Governor General of India in Council to the Secretary of State for India include:
- Number 170, 16 September 1896, relating to the opening up of a trade route between Nushki and the Persian frontier, crossing the tract of British territory south of the Baluch-Afghan boundary, and the protection of the newly-demarcated frontier, with enclosed memorandum by Captain Arthur Henry McMahon, British Commissioner, Baluch-Afghan Boundary Commission, containing his proposals for the management and administration of the tract and for the protection of the trade route
- Number 58, 31 March 1898, concerning the trade route between Baluchistan and Persia, including the suggestion that Consular Agents should be appointed at central points along it between Seistan and Meshed, with enclosures including a report by Lieutenant Frank Webb-Ware, Political Assistant at Chagai, on his visit to Seistan at the beginning of 1896, and the measures introduced for the development of trade between Baluchistan and Persia (which includes a blueprint map, Mss Eur F111/350, f 33)
- Number 163, 15 September 1898, forwarding copies of papers regarding the situation in Makran and Panjgur, following recent ‘disturbances’ in Makran.
The file also includes:
- Copies of Government of India Foreign Department papers numbered 40-58 relating to the Kerman Consulate and British interests in Southern Persia, including correspondence between the Government of India Foreign Department and the Secretary of State for India
- A letter from the Secretary of State for India to the Governor General of India in Council, with enclosed despatch from Sir (Henry) Mortimer Durand, HM Minister at Tehran, to the Foreign Office, dated 12 February 1899, in which he gives his opinion on suggestions for the appointment of additional consular officers in Persia (this includes a map titled ‘Skeleton Map of Telegraph Lines in Persia.’ Mss Eur F111/350, f 187)
- A letter from Durand to the Secretary to the Foreign Department of the Government of India, 24 February 1899, enclosing a copy of his memorandum (with appendices) drawn up in 1895 on the situation in Persia, and the steps he proposed should be taken to improve the British position there
- Copies of a draft despatch from the Governor General of India in Council, 2 September 1899, regarding relations between Great Britain and Persia, including improving the British Political and Consular service in Persia, and the extent of the share of responsibility for Persia that should be devolved upon the Government of India, followed by printed comments upon the draft
- Copies of a minute by George Nathaniel Curzon, Viceroy of India, on Seistan, dated 4 September 1899, including the question of a railway connection between India and Seistan
- Handwritten pencil notes by Curzon relating to Persia and the ‘Seistan Question’.
In addition to the two maps noted above, the file also includes the following maps: map of the area south of the border between Afghanistan and Baluchistan (Mss Eur F111/350, f 300); map of the area west of the border between Persia and Afghanistan (Mss Eur F111/350, f 301); and ‘Route Plan of Robat Nala’ (Mss Eur F111/350, f 302).
- Extent and format
- 2 volumes (301 folios)
- Arrangement
Most of volume A is arranged in reverse chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume (from folios 6 to 76); volume B is arranged is rough chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: this file consists of two physical volumes. The foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover of volume one (ff 1-150) and terminates at the inside back cover of volume two (ff 151-304); 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 in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [14r] (32/617), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/350, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100072740552.0x000021> [accessed 6 August 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/350
- Title
- ‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’
- Pages
- front , back , spine, edge , head , tail, front-i, 2r:32v, 34r:62v, 64r:84r, 86r, 89r:93v, 96r:96v, 99v:100v, 101v:128v, 129v:149v, back-i, front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 152r:186v, 188r:189r, 190r:299v, 303r:304v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence