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‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [186v] (381/617)
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.
16
XI . wifi, pa«P make our wishes respected. The
Persia, and that consequently u e them is what I have mentioned before, that
reason why the Persians often dl f'?” d ni ^ But wl^nevcr they see that we
they think our forbearance is practically unlim • . , , i • a oase the Shah
y earnest, and that Her Majesty’s Government is interested m a ca e, t e Shah
of the necessity for meeting our wishes
I wonM ask Her Majesty’s Government to believe that we nave stall great power ami
reputation in -P^sun ^ ^ affo rd both to be decided in insisting upon our
legitimate fnterests and to lie sympathetic and easy in our terms if the Persians ask
US f0 We e can P Mso'dif something to check Russian encroachments. In my Memo-
randum of 1895 I suggested our letting it be understood that aggressive action by
Russia in the north of Persia would immediately result in decided action by us m the
south. I still think that this is our proper policy. I do n°o mean that we should
bully or unduly threaten the Persian Government, but I would let them understand
that we cannot regard without concern any such action as, tor example, the pushing
down of the Russian sanitary wedge towards Seistan, and that we shall, if these things
happen, ask for compensations which the Persian Government may dislike. It. is
easy to do this, and it may help the Persian Government to resist demands which
otherwise they would find it difficult to avoid accepting- I think they should realize
that any serious concession made in the north is likely to involve an equivalent
concession in the south. Hitherto they have realized only the converse of the pro
position. I fully recognize that it may he embarrassing for us to commit ourselves
beforehand to any particular method of action, but the principle should be under
stood. If Her Majesty’s Government do not give me orders to the contrary, this is
the line I propose to take in the future.
Similarly, to turn to another clause of my recommendations of 1895, if Her
Majesty’s Government do not give me orders to the contrary I propose, in the event
of the Shah’s death, to recognize provisionally the succession of the Yaliahd, as I did
three years ago.
I may now perhaps usefully recapitulate what I have written regarding the
state of Persia in 1899, and the steps which should be taken to improve our position
in the country.
The internal condition of Persia is exceedingly had, worse in some respects than
in 1895. The finances are in greater disorder, the troops and civil establishments are
unpaid, food is dear, the Shah is a weak Huler who maintains no discipline, and his
Prune Minister has no powers, so that there is practically no Government. The
ussians have shown considerable activity in the northern provinces, pushing on
roads, and energetically encouraging their trade, and making use of their missionaries
among the Christian populations. They hare put “ sanitary ” posts along the Afghan
jorder and have tried to establish their trade and influence in Seistan. They have
Persiakhv^n & C °T ^ 1 . Nevertheless, the internal condition of
considerable • a^Uh hop ^ p S ’ }l . er debt being practically nothing, and her resources
strong \i OS ition OiW U ^ has . b een active in some respects we still hold a
Khamkm-Seistan PPp ^ mflue nce are completely dominant up to the
alivo Onvl^ 1 anC th0 ^ h our trade has suffered in the north it is still
issue notes Our TeW^Tif al i° ver Persia ’ and is th e only hank that can legally
coiitr f a iar ? e ^ r™
English - bj 'li" or "'s "'"Nl". of our
districts. We should also improve tho .n al ^ to travel and know their
Ispahan. We should try to open out now x dl t lon our p on sulates at Tabreez and
a little better than they are Possiblv wp nO m r ° U eS ’ and ^ke those which exist
also make more use of our Telegraph Henartrn^t f 0 ^ eG } for a railway. We should
of the Persian telegraph system as t0 ^ int ° 0Ur bands as
effective communication with Tehran. Wc’sP^ia 0aU ° Ur CorLs ular posts in
specially considered within our zone—tint i« 0U I 1181 !.! u P on our interests being
Amongst otier things, we should exeroi elome Zffi ? ha ^in-Seistan line
ment and dismissal of the Persian Governor? w C, 11 * 1 ' 01 over the appoint-
- n .h.h„ P , » a . tfe d
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’ [186v] (381/617), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/350, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100072740554.0x0000b6> [accessed 2 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