Coll 28/28 ‘Persia. Perso-Baluchistan Frontier. Demarcation near Mirjawa.’ [‎53r] (116/658)

lands of Grawag and Tump on the right bank of the Mashkel river, which once
belonged to Kohuk. Had there been, during the progress of demarcation, any
nortion of territory that could have been, claimed with expediency for Kalat
to the west of the Tehran line, it would have been claimed, but there was
none. .
44 It is very possible that Sir Nauroz Khan will express his dissatisfac
tion that his claims to Kohuk, Isfandak and portions of Jalk and Kalagan,
besides numerous other claims, have not been enquired into. Such rights,
however, as the Naoshirawani Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. did undoubtedly possess in years gone by
in these and other places within Persia, could not in any way affect the deli
mitation of the boundary between Persia and Kalat. It w T as probably on
account of these rights that the Persian Governor of Kerman paid (or pro
fessed to pay) yearly to Sir Nauroz a sum of money which I believe to have
amounted to Its. 1,000 per annum. It is doubtful, however, if this amount
was paid with any regularity, and it has entirely ceased.
45. The final agreement, the maps, and the technical description of the
boundary drawn up by Colonel Wahab were signed by the Itisham and myself
on the 24th March at Jalk. As the Asad-ud-Doulah persisted in his objection
to the clause which defined his responsibility as Governor of Bampur in con
trolling the lawless clans of Damanis, who are the owners and cultivators of
the northern date groves, the Itisham signed the agreement without consulting
his opinion further in the matter. The Asad-ud-Doulah will no doubt accept
the position when he finds that no unreasonable demands will be made from
him personally for compensation in lieu of possible damages incurred by
future Damani raids. Due consideration must of course be paid to the diffi
culty of his position in dealing with these impracticable and ‘ Yagi Persian
subjects who are at present only nominally under his control. As the frontier
becomes more settled he will doubtless be able to control them more effectually.
46. As regards the maps on which the boundary was. colored in for the
information of the Persian Government, and copies of which signed by both
Commissioners have been submitted to the Government of India, it should be
understood that it was at the special request of the Itisham that published
sheets were made use of rather than traces of the revised surveys on the same
scale As the reasons for this request on the part of the Itisham appear to me
to be sound, and applicable to all our map dealing with neighbouring States
who have neither the power nor the will to make accurate surveys, for them
selves, I will repeat them ; and it should be noted that the Itisham is probably
the only Persian subject who, from his knowledge of surveying, could be quoted
as an authority on such a subject. He represented that with the exception of
himself there was not a single court official at Tehran w r ho could read a map
correctly, and that the value of a map would inevitably fee estimated by its
size and general appearance. Such refinements as would be introduced by the
addition of extra topographical detail would be absolutely overlooked and
were not of the least importance in the eyes of the Shah. On the other hand,
whilst printed maps existed anything in the nature of a trace showing a portion
only of them and confining all map detail to the immediate neighbourhood of
the boundary would be regarded with great suspicion. We should certainly
be credited with some hidden motive for preparing a special map for the bhahs
approval when the printed maps which we were known to possess were with
held. The Itisham’s reasoning is well worth consideration and mutahs
mutandis, I would suggest that it is as applicable to Afghanistan as to
Persia.
47. The proceedings of the joint Commissions were conducted from first to
last in a spirit of mutual respect and good fellowship. With regard to e
Itisham-i-Wazirah, my colleague as Persian Commissioner, I may perhaps
be permitted to say that he is an officer distinguished by most exceptional
qualifications for the position. He thoroughly understood the value of maps,
and he was actuated throughout by feeling of impartiality and fair play,
which cannot be regarded as otherwise than exceptional amongst orientals
Possible difficulties might have arisen had the Commission been prolonged,
from the fact that he was dependent on the local Governor (the Asad-ud-Douiah)