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‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [92v] (189/617)
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.
4
msmp
Bnlucl, Khan felt this .lerply. ^oL^T^rteToferpowel
^X^stS^ott^shaT Mir Murad’s passion for
artillery practice noted above is an instance in pmn .
I bare heard a story to the effect that the Nazira cheated P,a nch Khan
out .1 • »1 * 0 . M‘ "jtr .0 S to «.“i.
to
Sirdar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
Allahvar Khan, Rustorazai, in which lie says that he has only
received the Bit revenues for one year. He seems to have expected two years
revenue But the sanad, granting; the revenues, was only signed in ± a' st
and the year is not yet over. This is probably the ongra of ihe story I have
alluded to.
Babich Khan openlv proclaimed that the British Government had broken
faith with him in the matter of Bit fort, and 1 think the reasons, set forth above,
^re sullicient to account for bis conduct,
Mir Mehrab Kban, Gitcbld, has always been hostile to tbe English.
There is no doubt that, if Sir Robert Sandernan bad not visited the country, he
would have been the Gitchki
Sirdar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
. Indeed, be would be so tomorrow, if
Makran was abandoned to its fate, as he is a far more capable man than, his
brother, Sh’Omer, the lawlul
Sirdar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
.
Finding the Nazim off bis "hard and knowing that Mirs Abdul Karim
and Sheikh"kasim Kban, Gitchkis, who alone could have opposed him were BO
miles away, Mir Mehrab Khan seized bis opportunity.
It is not known that be had any further reasons for bis conduct, but there
seems to have been a prevailing opinion in Makran that the British Govern
ment would not use force, and that raising disturbances was sound policy and
produced wealth and honours.
The headmen of the Kej valley objected to the payment of revenue. Their
influence is considerable, especially wdien they pose as public champions
against the oppressive practice of levying taxes.
The Khan’s Naibs used to employ them as agents for the collection of
revenue and, unless they were exempt from payment themselves, they proved
very unsatisfactory agents.
Ills Highness the Khan, with the advice of 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.
, Captain
LeMesurier, established a government which had some force at its disposal, and
all classes, with the exception of a very few favoured individuals, had to pay
alike.
It was hardly to be expected that the new system would he relished by
men who had long been exempt and Mehrab Khan commenced his rule by
showering sanads of exemption in every direction.
The result of careful enquiry inclines me to believe that the complaints
against the tyranny of the Nazim and Mir Abdul Karim had little foundation
in tact. Ihe manner of levying revenue was that which obtains in the rest of
British Baluchistan. Jwo people of the country were assessors, a patwari
represented the Government and the two parties haggled over the question until
they came to an agreement. If an agreement was found impossible, the Nazim
heard the case, inspected the ground and finally fixed the amount.
22. It now remains for me to make suggestions for the future Government
of the country.
With British management Makran might perhaps pay its own expenses,
hut the initial outlay would he considerable and the risk threat Such an
Government of S India°’ 1 U “ derstand > “ direct opposition to Hie policy of the
nresent TtM- extre ^, ely d “ ubt ^ 1 tbat >, UIlder »ny system resembling the
present, Makran will ever be selt-supporting, and I think that the sacrifice we
24t
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’ [92v] (189/617), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/350, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100072740552.0x0000be> [accessed 13 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