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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [42r] (82/949)
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
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TRADE METHODS AND CONDITIONS.
49
payment shall be made under discount within an agreed number of months.
An acknowledgment for the amount due is sometimes asked for after the
client has had time to check the weights, quantities, &c., of goods delivered.
The right of the creditor to claim payment under discount appears,
therefore, to rest on mercantile usage, but this is an established usage, and
it is quite common for an importer to press a debtor for payments to account
of a transaction at 23 months credit which has been left uncovered beyond the
usual two or three months.
The transaction between the importer and the wholesale Persian trader
is really, therefore, an open account, and is generally paid off in instalments.
The wholesale trader (“ bonekdar ”) sells to the inland trader, or to the
retail trade, an similar conditions, or may himself deal inland or possess his
own shops. The retail trader sells usually for cash, occasionally on book
accounts with customers.
Negotiable bills are not made for any of these transactions, and the
bankers (“ saroff ”) advance to traders on current account. The retail trade
advance goods on credit to peddlers who work the neighbouring districts,
often taking produce in exchange for goods.
The inland trader, who forwards his goods by caravan to a correspondent
or agent in another town, draws real bills which can be negotiated by the
native and foreign bankers. The liability of all parties to these bills is now
pretty clearly established on the same basis as similar instruments in Europe.
Protest for non-acceptance or non-payment is not usual with inland bills, and
the days of grace to be accorded is a varying quantity.
The business morality of a client in Persia is of quite as much importance
as his means, there being no code of mercantile law. Indent and consign
ment business with Persian traders is usually entered on with some circum
spection ; they appear to make a distinct difference between merchandise
delivered and promise to take delivery. The formation of companies is
unusual in Persia; the liability of shareholders, and to some extent of partners,
is undefined, and care should be exercised to have individual guarantees before
dealing with native companies.
Local trade usages are remarked on in the Notes on Commercial Centres
in Persia (pp-Sd’^y), where also the chief trade routes are shortly described.
Exchanges,
The unit of money is the kran, a silver coin, which ought to weigh
one miskal, or 71*04 grains troy, and contain 900 parts silver and 100 parts
copper.
“New” money is the coinage struck by machinery since 1877, “old”
money is the coinage hand-struck at numerous provincial mints previous to
1877. Both are legal tender. It has been computed that the new coin in
circulation contains on an average if to 2 per cent, less silver than standard,
and old money ii per cent, less than standard.
In Tabriz only “ new” coin is used, in other parts of Northern Persia new
coin is most commonly used, and in Southern Persia “ old ” coin forms the
chief part of the currency.
The coinage consists of—
Nickel
f 5 shahi pieces.
Silver
10 „
•{ 1 kran
I 2 ,,
L 5 »
>»
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’ [42r] (82/949), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/359/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100093227828.0x000053> [accessed 26 June 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