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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [50v] (99/949)
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.
66
REPORT ON TRADE OF PERSIA.
‘n a eV5 'case n b e e^n^w a kten n oR a ou\ a o!^profits! 3 and that teAifreason c^taHs
nn™ Ipqq willin^lv invested in Ha.ma.dan trade. . , j
toTell in order to provide fnnds to take up other goods ordered.
Trade Routes.
Exports all go by the Kermanshah and Bagdad route.
Trade with Teheran follows the old " chappar j- (post) route via Nuveran,
but the postal service is by wagon through Sultanabad and Kom.
A Russian concession is held fora road to Karvin. but no work, beyond
survevs has yfit been done on it. ,
Merchandise to Ardebil, Tabriz, and Azerbaijan is sent by caravan through
Zanjan or Bijar.
Teheran.
British firms do not import direct to this market.
The principal firms have agencies, but only for banking business, and
annarentlv have hitherto considered that sales made in Teheran would
sfmplv curtail business in Ispahan and Tabriz A Russian institution is now
floodin'* Teheran with goods obtained from Russian manufacturers on
advantageous terms which a big trade and unlimited means command.
mav be worth while for the British trader to consider whether his goods can
afford even one, though probably in most cases two, intermediate profits before
competing with these Russian goods.
Teheran as capital of Persia, is the residence of the court and the wealthy
classes, and consequently is the best market for costly goods and articles of
luxury * Trade Routes.
A Russian Company (in which the Russian Government has a large
interest) owns the carriage road through Kazvin to Resht and Enzeli, under
concession from the Persian Government. The tolls charged on caravan
animals are Camels, krs. 5 ; mules, krs. 4 ; donkeys, krs. 2.
The road is now being widened between Kazvin and Kudum to nearly
double its former breadth. The last 16 miles from Kudum to Resht was
rendered almost impassable for some weeks this autumn (1903) after unusually
heavy rains. It has been partially repaired at much expense, but is still
difficult for wheeled traffic, and is much too narrow to accommodate the
heavy local traffic.
The Company lease the passenger posting service to a contractor, a
Russian subject.
The carriage roads to Kom and on from Kom to Sultanabad are concessions
held bv the Imperial Bank of Persia, and the monopoly of wheeled traffic on
them is leased to the Post Office and sublet by them to a contractor, a
Persian subject. . , • • r
The Imperial Bank of Persia also holds concessions for the continuation of
the road through Kom and Sultanabad to Khoremabad, Dizful, Shuster and
Ahwaz, and from Kom to Ispahan. These enterprises up to the present time
have not been entered upon.
The traffic contractor for the Kazvin-Resht road carries the Post Office
mails to Resht. The contractor on the Kom road carries the mails over the
Kom road to Sultanabad and Hamadan by fourgon. He also holds the Post
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’ [50v] (99/949), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/359/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100093227828.0x000064> [accessed 27 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