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‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [156r] (320/617)
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.
[rk s DoGnment is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty’s Government ,!
Printed for the use of the Foreign OJice. December 1895.
CONFIDENTIAL.
(6704.)
Memorandum by Sir M, Durand on the Situation in
Persia.
AS I have now been nearly a year in Persia,, it may be desirable that I
should submit for orders my opinion upon the existing condition of affairs,
and upon the steps which should be taken to improve our position in the
country.
2. Some time ago I asked Lieutenant-Colonel Picot, Military Attache in Review of internal
this Legation, who has acquired a considerable knowledge of Persia, to make a condltion «
careful inquiry into the state of the administration, and to let me have all the
information he could collect on a variety of points. I append to this
Memorandum some interesting papers drawn up by him. Colonel Picot’s
facts are, I believe, substantially correct, and though I see no prospect
of the introduction of the drastic measures of reform which he recommends,
his suggestions are of much value. I have also appended to this Memorandum
a statement by
Nawab
An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India.
Hasan Ali Khan, Oriental Secretary, [showing the
revenues of Persia, and a note on the antecedents and character of the Sadr-i-
Azam, or Prime Minister. These papers, and the Reports of my predecessors,
afford so much information regarding the internal condition of Persia, and the
state of her foreign relations, that it will be unnecessary for me to enter upon
a detailed examination of the circumstances which I find surrounding me. It
will be enough for any proposals I may have to make if 1 set out the leading
facts.
3. There is no doubt that judged by European standards, the internal Finances,
condition of Persia is very unsatisfactory.
The Governorships of provinces and other high posts are systematically sold
by the Shah to the highest bidder, and sold for short periods, so that the
country is plundered and the administration disorganized. The Central
Government is weak, and is defied not only by the provincial authorities, but
by the Mullas, or priesthood, whose power has become greater than it should
be. The finances are in disorder, and during the last three years there has
been an annual deficit of about 50,000/. Heavy arrears of pay are due to Army,
the troops and the civil establishments. The army is a worthless rabble,
without serviceable arms or drill, or the semblance of discipline. There are
no trustworthy Courts of Justice | jhere are practically no roads, so that the Oj V/
expansion of trade is greatly hampered f finally, the country is being flooded Depreciation of
with copper money, which is causing much loss and suffering to the poorer currency °
classes, and is giving rise to bread riots. Among the principal causes of this
state of affairs are the greed and timidity of the Shah. It is his want of Greed and timiditj of
firmness and courage that has led to the regrettable increase in the power of Shah ’
the priesthood, for whom the Persians have little love, and his perpetual
[ 668 ] ®
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’ [156r] (320/617), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/350, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100072740554.0x000079> [accessed 21 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