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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [31v] (61/949)
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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
28
REPORT ON TRADE OF PERSIA.
Number in
Table of
Statistics.
50
houses. Common washing soap for clothes, from India, is begin
ning to displace the native manufacture for that purpose.
Soap is manufactured in the country, notably at Ispahan and
Rudbar; value, krs. 6 to krs. 10 per man of 13 lbs. (say i\d.
per lb.)*
20
Spices.
This import trade is entirely an Indian one, and is steadily
growing. The chief articles are pepper, cinnamon, cardamoms,
turmeric, tamarinds, and ganger.
5 1
Sugar.
*
The consumption of sugar in Persia has greatly increased in
recent years. The Consular Reports for Bushire show an import
at Bushire and Bunder Abbas for the two years 1897-98 of 251,500
cwts., and for the two years 1901-0201504,000 cwts. Kerman-
shah also shows an increasing trade in French sugar. Russian
sugar has made still greater progress; the export to Persia for
1902 stood at 3,000,000 pouds. There has been a decrease by the
Trebizond route of some 20,000 cwts. of French sugar, which has
almost ceased to be imported to Azerbaijan since J900.
Sugar cannot be insured inland, as it is a risky commodity to
transport, being easily demaged by wet. The inland trade is
chiefly in the hands of Persian merchants, and, as the article has
a wide sale on which a quick turnover can be made, the profits
in Persia are small.
It is not possible, from evidence obtainable in Persia, which is
only one out of several markets for Russian sugar, to express an
authoritative opinion on the effect of the fiscal measures in Russia
governing the production and export of this commodity. A lead
ing exporter describes the system shortly as follows:—Sugar in
Russia maintains a level of about Rbls. 6 per poud. A Govern
ment estimate is made of each year’s consumption, and of the
stocks to be held in reserve, and this quantity is apportioned
amongst the refineries in proportion to their declared output.
Each refinery has then practically to sell abroad the quantity of
its surplus output so established. There is a drawback on export
ed sugar of Rbls. i’75 per poud, which is the full tax imposed on
production. Anyone entitled to trade abroad can export sugar
and claim the Customs certificate for drawback, which shows the
quantity exported and the refinery the sugar came from. As the
refineries have to produce Customs certificates in proof of export,
they have either to export on their own account or buy up certifi
cates from those who have exported. These certificates conse
quently often command a heavy premium, and are dealt in on the
Bourse.
The result of the existing conditions of production and export,
as regards Persian trade, is that Russian sugar commands the
markets of Azerbaijan, Zanjan, Hamadan (price krs. 4-75 per Tab.
man—3*2^. per lb.), Korn, Shahrud and Mazanderan (price, Meshed,
krs. 4 per Meshed man—2-55^. per lb.), and competes with French
sugar in Ispahan, Yezd, and Seistan.
Consignments have been tried by the Russian steamers to
Bushire and Shiraz, but have not been appreciated, on account of
hard quality, though offered at krs. 4 to krs. 4*25 per Shiraz man.
Russian sugar exported to Persia enjoys a rebate on freight of
about 9 copecks per poud.
About this item
- 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 View the complete information for this record
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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [31v] (61/949), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/359/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100093227828.0x00003e> [accessed 28 July 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/359/1
- Title
- ‘Persia – especially Seistan’
- Pages
- front, 2r:194v, 195v:196r, 197v:199v, 200v, 201v, 203r:272r, 273v:275v, 277r:405v, 408r:408v, 409v, 411r:413v, 414v:419v, 420v:424v, 425v:432v, 433v:435v, 436v, 437v:443v, 444v:471v, 473r:475v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence