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‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [16r] (36/617)
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.
^ S ^ 0uld seek 18 to withdraw rather than concentrate the attention
ot the Persian Goyernment from pur awakened energy towards Seistan, and I
would strongly deprecate our taking any further action whatever with a view
to curbing the Damanis in Persia.
Such would only tend to exalt the importance of the road, and render the
Goyernment extremely shy.
The true remedy lies in the hands of the Indian Government. The raid
ing is in Baluchistan, British Indian territory, and can be dealt with there.
If the road is worth opening, it is worth protecting; a severe lesson to the
raiders from our side of the border would effect much and give rise to no mis
givings on the part of the Persian Government.
Tehran; | H. PICOT, Lieutenant-Colonel,
The 3rd September 1897. ) Military Attache.
Enclosure No. 8.
No. 5660, dated Quetta, the 10th September 1897.
From—H. S. Babnes, Esq., C.S.I., I.C.S., Agent to the Governor-General in
Baluchistan,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department,
I have the honour to submit, for the information and orders of the
• No. 272 , doted the 3 rd September 1897. Government of India, a copy of a letter *
received from Lieutenant P. C. Webb-
Ware, Political Assistant, Chageh, requesting that he may be granted a special
allotment of Bs. 5,000 to meet expenditure connected with a tour he proposes
to make during the approaching cold season to the Persian frontier.
2. In Poreign Department letter marginally cited the Government of
No. 2961 -f., datod the Both October 1896. India sa “° tio ?ed an allotment of Rs. 3,000
per annum for the Political Assistant’s
office establishment and contingencies. This sum, as stated by Mr. Webb-Ware
in his letter, has been distributed as follows :—
Office establishment
Office contingencies
Bs.
2,400
600
It is evident that a sum of Bs. 600 per annum, or Bs. 50 per mensem, is
insufficient to meet anything except the Political Assistant’s ordinary office
contingent expenditure, and I regret that this point was not brought to the
notice of the Government of India at an earlier date, though it was incident
ally referred to in my letter No. 1247-C., dated the 12th July 1897, in which
I applied for sanction to the provision of the camp equipment required for
the use of the Political Assistant and his office.
3. Last cold weather the Government of India were pleased to sanction
the grant of a sum of Bs. 6,500 to meet initial expenditure connected with
Mr. Webb-Ware’s tour through the desert and Koh-i-Malik Siah. This sum,
with levy savings, was found sufficient to cover both the initial expenditure
incurred by Mr. Webb-Ware and his tour expenses, that is to say, the hire of
camels for carriage of tents, treasure, and records and for the baggage of
escort and levies. Last year, too, it was found necessary to provide some camels
for the carriage of sick followers. I think it will be evident that these legiti
mate and necessary tour charges cannot be met out of the Bs. 50 per mensem
available out of the original allotment, and that a further grant is necessary if
Mr. Webb-Ware is to make any tour at all. The Political Assistant asks for
Bs. 5,000 and a further small grant for sinking wells between Manzil and
Saindak. But if the Government of India will give an allotment for tour
expenses of Bs. 4,000 for th,e current year, I will endeavour to meet all
expenditure including the cost of sinking the wells out of this sum.
4. Mr. Webb-Ware’s report on his last year’s tour has unfortunately been
delayed owing to pressure of work in the Sind Press, but I hope it will shortly
be in the hands of Government. Mr. Webb-Ware has frequently brought to my
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’ [16r] (36/617), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/350, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100072740552.0x000025> [accessed 21 July 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