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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [60r] (118/949)
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.
APPENDIX.—NOTE ON PERSIAN IMPORTS OF COTTONS.
85
The imports for 1901-02 were derived from—
British Empire. Russia. Other Countries.
£ £ & -
*, 563,929 679,229 IIO,o 62
Out of the 116,062^. some 30,000/., contributed by Turkey, are doubtless foreign piece
goods, bought and rebaled in Constantinople and Bagdad.
The imports of 1902-03 were derived as follows :—
—
British
Empire.
Russia.
Other Countries.
£
£
£
Germany
£
Thread and twist
89,118
1.31s
2,022
J,bOO
Bleached, unbleached, and plain
472,823
43.372
16,891
Holland
("France
13 400
24,800
Others . . • •
655,775
446,250
55 , 9 6 5
■ { Austria
^Germany
1 s,2oo
2,300
Total (excluding Karun)
Imports, Muhammerah and Karun, per Con
sular Report (excluding transhipments to
1,217,716
490.937
74,878
Turkey), year to December 3 ,s b * 9 °^ :
Thread and twist . •
6,380
—
84
All others .
57.512
1,200
934
France
500
Total imports .
1,281 608
492,137
75,896
= 1,849,641/.
These figures may make it clear that Russia is our only formidable competitor in
the piece goods trade at the present time.
In Curzon’s “Persia” the total imports of cotton tissues for 1889 are quoted from
an official source as 1,857 ooo/ m of which Great . Britain contributed_ 1,714,000/., half
of it white and grey shirtings, and Russia the remaining 143,000/ all prints. The same
authority (Vol. II., page 580), gives the total exports of manufactured goods from Russia
to Persia as 256,000/. Russian Customs Statistics for 1898 show that cotton textiles
were five-sevenths of the total exports of manufactured goods to the Persia for that year.
The same proportion for 1889 would give 183,000/. as the value of cotton tissues
exported to Persia ; consequently it may be assumed that in 1889 the British Empire
had command of the trade in cotton textiles to Persia, Russia only furnishing 9 or 10
per cent, and the contributions from other countries being inconsiderable. The latter
statement mi^ht quite well be made regarding other countries to-day, although, as a
matter of fact, France and Austria, probably then, and certainly now, possess a steady
if modest trade in certain distinct kinds of high-class cotton prints, cretonnes, &c.
Trade with Russia.
The Russian competition in the piece goods trade began to be very distinctly felt
in Azerbaijan about i 8 9 2 - 93 . and "as already marked ,n Teheran at that time. In
Khorassan it dates from the opening of the Transcaspian Railway to mercantile traffic.
In 1898 the Russian Customs Department reported an export of cottons to Persia
as follows:—
Cotton yarn
,, tissues without drawback
M „ with drawback at
)> >» )» »
)> H V »
Rbls. 2'3o per poud
Rbls. 2.45 „ .
Rbls. 2 , 3 o „ .
Rbls.
15.054
211,313
336,865
2,529,616
2,106,932
Total
5,i99,78o=553> 000 ^
This value, on the weights given, works out at about 2*. per lb. Presumably it ,nc j u ^ s
the allowance for drawback, and if this allowance, say 20 per cent , be deducted, the
net value agrees prettv closely with what I gathered from merchants might be tairiy
taken as an average c.i.f. value of cotton goods imported into Persia, viz., about is. 7a.
per lb. Taking, therefore, 80 per cent, of the above total, there still remains 442,000/.
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’ [60r] (118/949), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/359/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100093227828.0x000077> [accessed 4 July 2026]
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- 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