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‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [202r] (411/617)
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.
[ 7 ]
“?* te ® eistan « bt l‘ to Safer on
for strategical reasons namelv nrrl Wai + C ’ W1 10l i^ an ^ re ^ erence f° Persia,
Russian advance upon Kandahar If k' 1 ' P r ®y ent > at an y future period, a
Study of the papers whafr did w 1 , '"terestmg to me to learn from a
I was travelling in Persia and was first"™ ■r° re ’ Ilve y ears later, when
been raised hntl, ? a- - aW thi s question, it had rust
time head of the Tnteril 10, and i? Per f a by a report from Colouel Bell, at that
issb “ , , , r 6 Intelligence Department in India, who in the autumn of
~£ n E£ : HS
concession to Reuter or to slme other clnanv °
taken Tin bv Sir H T) WnlfF ^ n • m pany. Ihe suggestion was eagerly
, ; t J D y ^>11 11. 11. Worn, whose imagination was at iliat time suffn^rl wiin
Brr’K S sri t=S 3
authonties as a most valuable adjunct to the defences of India and as deserving
of the utmost encouragement”. Sir H. Wolff’s proposals did not make much
advance, but were reiterated by him in despatches to the Foreign Office dated
July 2oth, and August 19th, 1890. Unfortunately in these, as" in his orMna!
despatch of February 19th, 1889, Sir II. Wolff rested Ins defence of the
d^t? extremely contentious and entirely unacceptable grounds. He
advocated it for two reasons: as a menace to the Trans-Caspian Railway of Russia
and as the saving of a long land march in the event of our desiring to take
the offensive against that Power. This line of argument was completely riddled
in a Memorandum, dated October 2nd, 1890, by General Brackenburyf at that
time Head of the Intelligence Department at home. He pointed out that a
single line to a remote corner of Persia could not counterbalance the position
of Russia m that country, would not help us in the least on the Afghan border
oi m Afgnan-Tiirkistan, and would be of no use for assuming the offensive.
He concluded by saying—“ By far the more important task is, not the con
struction of a new line into Seistan, but the consolidation of our power there
by bringing the fromier tribes under our influence, and by developing Bain-
chistan and converting it into a fertile base of operations. When this has been
done, it will be time to push forward into Persia”.
. 23 * General Brackenbury’s criticism was destructive of the proposal
viewed as an offensive and strategical scheme. But a corresponding flaw in bis
own argument was at once pointed out by Lord Salisbury, who noted that the
real object of a Seistan railway would be not to attack Bussia in Northern
Persia, but to saie Southern Persia from falling into her grasp, which could
be done either by a line from Quetta, or, as be would himself prefer, by a line
from the sea.
24. General Brackenbury’s criticism was sent out to the Government of
India, and was thus noted upon by Sir G. Chesney on January 13th, 1891—
“ The railway can only be regarded as a work of military precaution. Prom this
point of* view it appears to me that the time cannot be far distant when it will
be deemed necessary. Still more important is a railway from the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
north to Seistan; > but the connecting link between this line and the Quetta
railway system will also be found necessary”.
# 25. A little later Sir H. Brackenbury, now Military Member in India,
again noted upon the scheme; and it is interesting to read his remarks in the
light of. bis former opinion. He now explained (April 27th, 1891) that he had
only objected to a Seistan railway so long as the§ Russian railway did not
extend south of the Trans-Caspian line, and because to construct a railway to
Seistan would compel her to make extensions. “ But if circumstances should
change, and if Russia should take the lead in making railways southward,
then it may become necessary for us to follow her lead. We ought to he able
to keep pace with her ”.
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’ [202r] (411/617), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/350, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100072740555.0x00000c> [accessed 19 July 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