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‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [175r] (358/617)
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
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39
this scheme, but if it were thought desirable to assist His Majesty in this or in anv other
manner financially I would suggest that two separate guarantees should be demanded
(other of course than the Customs guarantee of the southern ports). emanded
lhC - i V 8 the 0pei ? ing of the U PP er Karun t0 British trade, with permission to run
commercial steamers on its waters. 1
TnPT , H J Ma J est y ^es not apparently favour this project, fearing, it is said, the develop
ment of our trading Companies on the lines of the old East India Company-an idea
fostered by Russia and France. The Sadr Azm is piobably also interested in retainincr a
Persian monopoly above Ahwaz, for rumour declares that he has a financial interest in the
JNasin Company ; m any case, neither the weak fears of the Shah, nor Court intrigue, should
be allowed to stand m the way. S 1 UUiU
I attach much importance to the opening out of the Karun, not that British trade is
iikeiy to develop by leaps and bounds, but because, till in direct touch with Shuster and
JJizful, we shall never be able to compel Persia to open up the roads radiating therefrom, or
to insist on the tribes being kept in order.
The second guarantee is one that should safeguard our interests against such action as
was taken by Russia a few years ago, when she obtained a concession giving her the power
to block all railway construction in Persia till the vear 1900.
This concession struck directly at British development in the south, and showed how
regardless Persia can be on occasion of the interests of Great Britain.
(Signed) H. PICOT, Lieutenant-Colonel,
m Military Attache.
lehr an, August 31, 189o.
APPENDIX 5 .
Lieutenant-Colonel Picot to Sir M. Durand.
(Confidential.)
Sib ^ _ Tehran, July 1, 1895.
DURIN G the recent visit of Colonel Yate to Tehran I had an opportunity of discussing
with him the advisability of extending our
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
system of espionage in Central Asia and
the Caucasus, and have now the honour of transmitting a Memorandum on the subject,
for your information.
I also attach certain notes on the position of Her Majesty’s Consulates of Tabriz and
Resht, in Northern Persia, which to some extent bear on the same question.
I am, &c.
(Signed) H. PICOT, Lieutenant-Colonel,
Military Attach6.
Memorandum respecting “News Agencies of Central Asia and the Caucasus!'
(Confidential.)
During the war scare of 1885 about the only information we had regarding the move
ments of Russian troops into Trans-Caspia was from the telegrams and reports of
Mr. Peacock, the Consul at Batoum. Since then the Consulate-General at Meshed has
been established, and a watch is kept on the various cantonments of Trans-Caspia as far
north as Samarkand. As a rule our reports record the movements of Russian troops only
after their arrival in Trans-Caspia.
This is not sufficient; what we require is early and accurate information of activity in
the Caucasus, in Baku, Petrovsk, or Astrakan.
We may, I think, take it for granted that Russia will foresee coming events, and
gradually prepare for the struggle by timely concentrations. Long before the outbreak of
hostilities her troops will be quietly moving towards Trans-Caspia and Khorassan by way
of the Caucasus, and to the Oxus by Orenbourgh and Siberia; whilst both Astrakan and
Tashkend will be pouring in supplies by the Trans-Caspia Railway system. It is at this
time early information will be of the utmost importance.
Our only source at present is Mr. Stevens, the Consul at Batoum, and his powers are
limited to watching the arrivals and departures of Russian troops at Batoum from Odessa.
He has no funds, neither has he any special organization for recording the movements of
troops across the Caspian. Some years ago we had a Consul at Tiflis, but the appointment
was allowed to drop with the departure of Mr. Lyall. The re-establishment of this post
does not appear to be a matter of great moment, more especially as such a measure might
lead Russia to demand similar concessions in India.
On the Caspian itself we have no Consular officer. The Consul at Resht, in Persia, is
some 20 miles inland from the port of Enzileh, and is entirely removed from all chances of
getting news of any movements that may be going on in Russian ports to the north. His
value for such purposes is practically nil.
[ 668 ]
M
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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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