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‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [157v] (323/617)
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
Improbability of
important move on tbo , ,
part of the Russians, L
owing to weakness
of Russia in Central
Centol Asia.
.. it j. pe'-sia has sufficed to prevent for
have shown at times, our connection wxtnle^ ^ 0 r any sensible
many years any material encroachment on reisia know th». well
enrtailimr of Persian independence and tinnic ^ and fertl i e plains of
Much as B the Eussians long tor toe cop m ' ^ ; ^ s ; a tlirougii a sandy
ihorassan, they have had to lay was nearly seventy years
desert. Practically, the Persmn tiont ei ra w, to the respect of
Lo. It must, I think, be admitted “ £ ct / s reC ognized here. No
the Russians for the power of Eng an , . i , | s t VO ii o ’cr in Tehran than we
doubt we have lost some opportunities and 'n .ffi ^ ^ go = port agai f Eussian
are hut the Persian Governn.ent still , -ri, re „ ar d to this country
dictation, and Bussia still hesitates to tave y P jo not think, therefore,
which would be likely to give ns senous umma influence m
need he altogether d f at * sfi q f Tnfhnportant move by the
Persia, or that we need apprehend at present any 1
Russians against hci. . , , ripofli of the present Shah may be
This may be a mistaken view, and *0 death Pl . otec .
the signal, as many predict, foi Eussia ^ 1 believe that she has such
torate or annex a province But I see no reason to ^ her weak .
an intention. At present Kussia seems . ao -oressive in their attitude,
ness in Asia. H er frontier officers are ’ a |f f^ntral Asian posses-
hut nevertheless she shows much nervousness about hei herself in
sions, and I think it is only natural that »
Asia with small and scattered xoices, fax from * i i. er ghe sees
communications, and surrounded by a population of doubtfu tempei bhe sees
us with superior numbers, backed by arsenals and abundant su PP“ e ;> ana
to draw on a fighting population numbering tens of miUions, which we seem to
be able to trust as she cannot trust her Turkomans and Uzbegs. Political
developments in Europe, the effect of which we cannot calculate heie, may of
course 1 make Russia decide at anytime to go to war with us, but, jud g
merely from her attitude in Asia for some years past, I cannot but believe that she
fears us, in Asia, quite as much as we fear her, and more than we ought to tear
her. Even from Persia, where we have not a regiment, we could now, by a
little judicious manoeuvring on the Turkoman frontier, arouse excitement and
alarm from the Caspian to Merv. Hereafter, if, for example, a great wax .•mould
clear the air in Eui’ope, and set Russia free, as sue was set free by the Ciimean
War and the Turkish War, to devote herself to the East, and consolidate her
recent advances, she may he willing to provoke ns in Asia. At present she
does not seem to have any wish to do so; and, if this view is correct, there is
no reason to anticipate any serious attempt on her part to disturb the existing
situation in this country for some time to come.
8 . Supposing that the state of affairs is approximately as I have described
it, the general conclusion would he that the internal condition of Persia is
unsatisfactory, and to some degree dangerous, and that she is too much under
the influence of Russia; hut that there is no cause for immediate alarm
• 1 T 1 I I 1
on
the influence ot Russia; hut that there is no cause for immediate alarm
either account, as the country may hold together for a long time if left to
itself, and Russia does not seem to he inclined at present to enter upon any
course of action which would bring her into serious conflict with us.
Alternative policies. 9 . The question then arises what steps should he taken to maintain and
improve our position in Persia, and to guard against future eventualities. I
will not stop to discuss the preliminary question whether any steps should
taken at all.
Possibility of a friendiy
understanding with
Russia.
- .xxv. preliminary question whether any steps should be
naiveu an au. It may possibly he argued that things seem to be going fairly
well as it is, and that practically we want nothing more in Persia than we have
got, but such an argument would he quite untenable.
Our position in Persia as a check upon Russian expansion is not an
altogether bad one, hut it is not as good as it has been; and unless we are
vigilant and careful to make use of our opportunities, it may easily become
worse. It may become rapidly and seriously worse if Persia should fall into
bankruptcy and disorder, and thereby afford to Russia legitimate or plausible
ground for interference. Moreover, we have to think of Persia as a market for
oui tiade. It is evident that from that point of view the existing situation
leaves much to he desired.
. desired.
0 . The first course which
which at one time found
Russia is
itself is the radical change of policy
- * — ,wv.c^w in Sir Henry Drummond Wolff. ~~
nob prepared to make any serious encroachment upon Persia, it
an
suggests
advocate
If
occurs
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’ [157v] (323/617), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/350, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100072740554.0x00007c> [accessed 1 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