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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎28v] (55/949)

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The record is made up of 1 file (475 folios). It was created in 7 Nov 1901-23 Aug 1905. 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. .

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22
REPORT ON TRADE OF PERSIA.
Number in
Table of
Statistics.
70
Glass and Glassware.
Wares of Glass.
Large quantities of tea glasses are imported from Russia,
but the glass saucers for the same, and glass kalian (or water-
pipe) bowls are imported from Austria and France. There
is a fair trade in common wares, in which Britain does not
compete. The bulk of the fancy glass trade is imported through
Trebizond from Austria and France. Superior glassware, such
as table services, dishes, goblets, &c., find a market only in
Teheran, and are chiefly French Baccarat ware. There is a fair
consumption of glass sugar bowls, jugs, lamp-shades, lamp-
glasses, and fancy ware, mostly from Austria. The decorative
and artistic classes in these wares from Austria and France do
not meet with serious competition, but in all the inferior classes,
Russian wares are now displacing the others. There is said
to have been a marked improvement in quality and finish of these
Russian goods in recent years. See note under Mercery and
Hardware (P. 24).
Window Glass.
Import. —The consumption of window glass is comparatively
small. It is used only in the houses of the well-to-do.
Prices Teheran, Russian, krs. 80 to krs. 90 per case.
Belgian „ 60 ,, 90 „
Gums.
40
Tragacinth.
Found in the districts of Shiraz, Yezd, Ispahan, Burujird,
Kermanshah, Hamadan and Kurdistan. It grows wild on the
hillsides, and the young plants give the best gum. The older
plants give a yellow tinged gum, but if burnt down yield white
juice from the stems. It has been questioned whether Persia
can continue to yield the large quantities now exported of this
article. The regions from which it is collected are, at any rate,
very extensive. Price at Shiraz in March 1903, first quality,
krs. 24 to krs. 28 per Shiraz man (say is. 3^. per lb.) ; lowest,
krs. 10 per man (5ji. per lb.). Kermanshah, June 1903, first
quality, krs. 30 per Tabriz man (is. 8d. per lb.) Ispahan,
October 1903, first quality, krs. 60 to krs. 70 per shahman (say,
is. 9|-^. perlb.). Exported from Bushire and Bunder Abbas to
Britain and India, and from Kermanshah to Bagdad, also for
Britain. Russia takes perhaps one-fourth of the exports.
Insoluble Gum.
Export*—Sent from Shiraz and Kazeroon regoins to Bushire,
.where it is sorted and packed for export. Prices 1902, krs. 24 to
krs. 25 per Hashem man (8s. per cwt.), and latterly, krs. 32
(10s. 6^.). Also exported from the Bakhtiari country trio Ahwaz,
and from Kurdistan mo, Tabriz.
Hides, Skins, and Leather.
Goat and Sheep Skins.
Largely exported to India from Gulf ports, also from
Khorassan and Azerbaijan to Russia. A bale of 70 goat skins
salted and dried weighs about 250 lbs. gross. Price, krs. 4! to
krs. 5 ( 15 . gd.) per skin. Freight, Tabriz to Batoum, Rbls. 1*25
per poud.

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Content

This part contains papers mostly relating to British interests in Persia [Iran] and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .

It includes a copy of the Board of Trade Commercial Intelligence Committee ‘Report received from Mr. H. W. Maclean, the Special Commissioner appointed by the Commercial Intelligence Committee of the Board of Trade, on the conditions and prospects of British trade in Persia.’

A handwritten note at the front of the file, on folio 5, states ‘Spare copy of notes & correspondence of the “Helmand Control” file (with maps)’. Folio 110 consists of handwritten notes, including one dated 27 April 1904, which states ‘The secret Helmand papers have been printed up, and a set, with necessary maps, is submitted for H.E. the Viceroy to take to England.’ Much of the file concerns the question of controlling the water of the Helmand river and irrigating its whole delta, and the work of the Seistan Arbitration Commission to arbitrate between Persia and Afghanistan on the question of rights to the water of the Helmand in Seistan.

The file also includes reports by W A Johns on reconnaissances of potential railway routes made while he was attached to the Seistan Arbitration Commission, and other papers relating to railways and roads in Persia.

In addition, the file includes copies of the following Government of India Foreign Department Proceedings, which reproduce received Foreign Department correspondence on the following subjects: ‘Selection of a British naval base in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .’, November 1901, Nos. 74-83; ‘Visit of His Excellency the Viceroy to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. during November-December 1903.’, February 1904, Nos. 33-127; ‘Establishment of telegraphic communication with Henjam. Question of the selection of a naval base in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Aggressive action of the Persians at Tamb and Abu Musa; their claim to the Islands.’, June 1904, Nos. 300-388; ‘Reports of the Commercial Mission to Persia.’, June 1905, Nos. 45-111; ‘Question of retaining flagstaffs erected in the neighbourhood of the Musandim Promontory’, August 1905, Nos. 288-307.’

The file also includes: brief handwritten notes written by Curzon on headed paper belonging to the Viceregal Lodge, Simla, relating to Seistan and to Lord Kitchener’s planned reforms for the reorganisation and redistribution of the Indian Army; and a printed copy of the report ‘A Note by Major H.L. [Herbert Lionel] Showers, C.I.E., on the present state of affairs in Kelat and a review of the system of Administration now being pursued.’

The file includes four maps: ‘Map of the Tail waters of Helmand River’ (13 July 1903), f 122; ‘Plan Shewing Proposed Routes for a Railway from Nushki to Afghan Frontier near Robat’ (10 April 1903), f 139; ‘Extract from Admiralty Chart No. 753. (Entrance to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ).’ (October 1901), f 219; and ‘Sketch of route Ram Hormuz to Fellahieh.’ (April 1904), f 230.

Extent and format
1 file (475 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in no apparent order, apart from the Government of India Foreign Department Proceedings, folios 231 to 474, which are arranged in chronological order.

Written in
English in Latin script
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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎28v] (55/949), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/359/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100093227828.0x000038> [accessed 2 July 2026]

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