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‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [74r] (152/617)
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.
Kafilas by this route, which comes bv ea^v anrl woii « j i .
can now turn off eastwards md the upper Robat (Sar Ro^at' StagGS Seistari<
^ the route traversed by the Mission^vitLut ent^nfAfg^n'S^ aHt 66 '
they can diverge from the above kafik route at Duzdap, orstill further sou hind"
travel OTa Amalaf and the various other easier routes which, passing either through
Amir Chah or Mushkija converge on Nushki via Isa Tahir, Panihan, Sorap and
Dal ban din. The taxes levied by the Kharan Chief would prevent heir taking
routes further south than the above. 1 taking
Seistan traders have often told me that, once the demarcation of the Afo-han
boundary enabled them to use routes from Persia through British territory they
would extensively use the above named routes. There are already indications of an
approaching revival on a very large scale, of trade between Persia and India through
Nushki. While at the Koh-i-mahk Siah we heard of a large kafda awaiting in Seistan
the completion oi demarcation work to start for India. This has by now probably
reached Nushki. The Ghilzai and other Powindah headmen, who have accompa
nied me with their camels throughout the Mission from the Gomal to Persia
assure me that they are prepared to take every advantage of this new trade route!
I have known these men for years. Some of them, in old days, carried on a very
large carrying trade between Ghazni and India, but the Amir’s increased customs
taxes have gradually di minished that trade until it has now practically died out
altogether. These men, like thousands of ethers, have lost their old lucrative occu
pation and are reduced to grazing flocks, instead of bringing large laden katilas
yearly up and down the Gomal. They now say they are about to turn their atten
tion to the Persian trade, and transfer their camels from the Gomal to Quetta and
Peshin. So much struck are they with the prospects of this new trade, that a party
of my camel owners, Kharoti Ghilzais, are actually now at this most unfavourable
season of the year on their way back with their camels laden with merchandize to
Seistan. Others are about to start at the end of the summer, and their example will
be followed no doubt by large numbers of other Powindahs. I feel confident that
the development of our trade with Persia will soon bring itself to very general
notice. Every encouragement should be given to it and every precaution taken
to prevent obstacles being allowed to be put in the way at the outset, thereby
endangering and delaying the rapid development which circumstances justify our
reasonably expecting. As I will endeavour to explain below, the obstacle pre
sented by the customs taxes at Nushki must be removed.
10. As regards (3) the opening up of more direct relations with Seistan, the
settlement of a definite boundary line and
Opening up of more direct relations with Setstan. ^ necess - ty for protecting the trade route
from Seistan to Nushki, give us a good opportunity of effecting this desirable ob
ject, without necessarily attracting much notice. I need not dwell at greater length
on this point here as it is obvious that we ought to be in more direct communication
with, and obtain more direct information concerning, a country which is probably
destined to play an important part in our future frontier policy and to which
Russia has for some time past paid very special attention. I hope, in connection
with the other measures which I am about to suggest for the better po itica con
trol of our frontier and the efficient protection of trade routes, to suggest means
by which this last object can also be effected.
11. The above remarks have sketched the main objects to be aimed at m
, . ., i the measures which the recent ooundary
Measures suggested for adoption with regard n non mke and
to the country south Of the boundary hne. settlement now calls upon us to take ana
it remains to be considered what measures are required to attain ^ose objec s
,, .1,1 ttlie first the Cfi.g.i “ « i.r j™
Measures suggested with regard to the Ar v possession. U forms a portion
country for which, in the ”
an increased annual subsidy of 6 la s ah \’ 0 on e else has a claim to it.
therefore ours by purchase to do what we 'kf^keTboundarv of this district,
The Kharan Chief, whose country forms the sou . ^ d htest shadow
however much he may wish to get possessmn of it, has not
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’ [74r] (152/617), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/350, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100072740552.0x000099> [accessed 28 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