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‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [82v] (169/617)
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.
i rif flip Xlmn from Makran, if tbe
It is calculated that the annudn the {ormer ' system, will at the lowest
revenue is collected by his NaitK the Naibs have paid for themselves
estimate be H, 15,000 “""“'^^ure over incom^ will, therefore, be
and their civil subordinates. 1 ^ bere( j t } ia t; there will be an annual
some Rs. 12,600, but it mus bolition 0 f tbe Nazim and his establish-
i3- n t. -t«pi.trf “i?" r: ! s™ ° 5“s; sis -
fantry oftheKalatie-orgams dt^p^ pun . aWs or Gurkhas, they are out of
proved as useful as uas P ’ f n deed they do not speak their language,
touch with the people of the count, y immea ^ y^^ They look
and consequently are un, ra i se d them for pay and orders, and are really
rbodJ y of 0 trooptloy S 'l 0 onlv’to us, and are viewed by the Khan and his Naihs
with distrust and dfslike. They were not even always amenable to the orders of
rte Nazim and so would be useless in Makran under the proposed B luchr
administration, even if they were willing to stay on there winch they are not.
They are now timing furlough, as they have served for three years, good-con-
duct pay, compeusation for dearness of provisions, etcetera, which the Khan has
agreed to give them as a temporary measure, pending a decision as to future
arrangements. These concessions will probably keep the re-organised troops
fairly contented until next winter, when I hope we may be able to bring le
scheme I have proposed for the future Government ot Makran into working
order. When that has been accomplished, 1 would suggest that the Infantry ot
the “ re organised troops ” shall be disbanded, and sent back to their homes
in thfi PnnVab. and tbe Dost of Military Adviser be abolished.
14. The question of the future of the 60 Brahui Camelry of the re-organised
troops is another matter. They appear to be a fine body of men and camels, and
are fully equipped like our own cavalry camel sowars. But they are not a tribal
body under a Chief, and look alone to Captain Benn for leadership. It is pos
sible that, in their present form, they may have to be broken up, and, if neces
sary, raised again as “ levies but this is a matter which may be left for futuie
consideration, as the present scheme develops.
15. Perhaps the greatest difficulty we shall have to face in Makran is the
checking of Kaosherw ani encroachments, which are certain to recommence
under the government of Naibs. We have now, how r ever, a hold over Sir
ISaoroz Khan, wdiich w r e have never had before, and it is that hold which I pro
pose using. Some little time ago Sir Naoroz Khan married the rich widow 7 of
the late Kalat Mastaufi, who possesses valuable lands in the districts of Mango-
char, Mastung, Quetta, and Kachhi, and I propose telling the Naosherwani
Chief that w r e will only look after his interests in those lands if he on his part
agrees to curb his tribesmen and his own greed for territory, and keep his hand
off Makran. This I hope w ill have a good effect.
16. It w 7 ill be noticed that Mr. Knox in Appendix B of his report No. 885,
dated the 3rd May 1898, deals w ith the question of Naosherw ani encroachments
in Makran, and seem to suggest the advisability of demarcating the border
between Kalat and Kharan. I mentioned this subject to His Highness tiie
Khan ; hut he did not seem to consider it necessary, nor indeed to approve of
it at all.
17. A point to he remembered in future is, that when the
Political Agent
A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency.
of Kalut visits Makran, and when survey officers are sent there, they must he
accompanied by proper escorts of Indian troops ; and I quite agree with the
remarks w hich Mr. Knox makes, in the 3rd paragraph of his report on the
Makran revolt, about the future conduct of surrey parties in the country.
18. I may, in conclusion, say that His Highness the Khan of Kalat fully
approves of my proposal with regard to Makrau and the Infantry of his“ re
organised troops.” 19
19. I trust the Government of India will permit the existing arrangements
tc continue in Mekran for another seven or eight months, and that in the
4
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’ [82v] (169/617), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/350, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100072740552.0x0000aa> [accessed 26 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