'Military Report on Persian Seistan' [‎24v] (53/188)

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the Persians built the fort of Nasirabad to secure their position in the
country. From this time the Persians made steady encroachments eastwards,
intriguing with the chiefs of Chakuansur and Lash. Mir Alam Khan
soon succeeded Sharif Khan as Governor, and his efforts to further Persia's
designs east of the Helmand led to such a threatening attitude on the part
of the Amir of Afghanistan that the Shah appealed to the British Govern
ment. The British Government at first refused to interfere, but eventually
an Arbitration Commission was agreed upon, and Colonel Goldsmid was
appointed to delimitate the boundaries in 1872.
His award was as follows: —“ The main bed of the Helmand below
Kuhak should be the eastern boundary of Persian Seistan, and the line of
frontier from Kuhak to the hills south of the Seistan desert should be so
drawn as to include within the Afghan limits all cultivation on both banks
of the river from the band upwards. The Malik Siah Kuh appears a
fitting point north of Seistan. The southern limit of the Naizar should be
the frontier towards Lash Juwain. Persia should not cross the Hamun in
that direction. A line drawn from the Naizar to the Kuh Siah hill near
Bandan would clearly define her possession. It is, moreover, to be well
understood that no works are to be carried out on either side calculated to
interfere with the requisite supply of water for irrigation on both banks of
the Helmand." The same year, a few months after the departure of the
Commission, the fceistanis broke out in rebellion against
the domineering chief of Kain, and shut him up in
of 1872. Nasirabad on the 21st December. His chief enemies
were Ibrahim Khan of Chakhansur, Ahmad Khan of Lash Juwain, Sharif
Khan Nahrui, Kamal Khan of Bandar, and Malik Abbas Khan, Kayani.
The tribes against him were the Sanjurani, Kayani, Shahriki, Nahrai, and
Sarbandi. In February 1873 he was relieved by a force from Meshed.
He was, however, recalled from Seistan, and a Persian entitled the Samsam-
ul-Mulk was made Governor. During his brief reign, a Persian official was
sent to demarcate the frontier as laid down by Colonel Goldsmid in concert
with an Afghan deputy; but, acting perhaps on secret instructions from
Tehran, the Samsam-ul Mulk obstructed the proceedings, and finally dis
missed the officers on the following objections:—The Afghans are
able to cut off the water ; 2nd .—People will emigrate to the Afghan side;
3rd .—The loss of the Tarakun grazing land ; 4th .—The loss of the greater
part of the Naizar. As Captain Napier remarks: f ‘ The Persians, therefore,
refused to accept the arbitration; the boundary line, although known, was
not declared to the people and not respected. However, the Persians
abandoned the Tarakun lands and Bandar*i-Kamal Khan, but managed to
secure revenue from a number of villages on the Afghan side, some of which
belonged to Sharif Khan and Ibrahim Khan, both enemies of the Governor
of Seistan." The Samsam-ul-Mulk soon quarrelled with Sharif Khan. A
For further detail, see
Captain Napier* Report
complaint was made to Tehran that he wished to keep the rebellion open for
purposes of plunder, and he was recalled, but not before he had succeeded
in beating Sharif Khan, and his ally Ibrahim Khan, who fled to Chakhansur,
leaving his villages on the Persian side to be confiscated. In December
1873, one Muhammad Jafar Khan was appointed Governor, but was recalled
in July 1874, and in December, Mir Alam Khan was reinstated. In
March 1875, a deputation of Seistanis went to Tehran to protest, but with
out avail, and Mir Alam Khan continued in power until his death. During
his rule the objections of the Persians to the award were made known to