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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎61r] (120/949)

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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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APPENDIX—NOTE ON PERSIAN IMPORTS OF COTTONS.
87
The Trebizond route to Tabriz for many years carried our most important trade with
Persia. The Persian Customs Statistics of imports of British and British Indian cotton
textiles for the year 1902-03 give the following particulars
1902-03
(21st March to 20th March).
Thread and twist
Bleached and unbleached tissues
Other tissues
£
• • • • •
28,366
103,152
135 774
A Consular Report for Trebizond (“ Annual Series,” No. 2,588) gives total value of
imports of British cotton taxtiles in transit for Persia, for periods of five years, as
follows
£ £
Five years 1886 to 1890 . . 2,059,900 = 4f2,000 per annum.
„ 1891 „ 1895 . . 1,445,800 = 249,160 „
„ 1896 „ 1900 . . 997,900 =3 199600 „
As already noted, Russian Competition with British prints in Azerbaijan was well
marked in 1892-93. A British merchant in Tabriz has kindly classified the annual
statistics of a Trebizond forwarding agent, and the result shows that the number of
bales known to be British cotton textiles forwarded from Trebizond to Tabriz has
steadily fallen from 22,000 in 1890 to 8,000 in 1902, which confirms the Trebizond
figures.
From the figures given in the foregoing it is possible to form an estimate as to the
progress of British and British Indian trade in cotton textiles to Persia, thus:—
. , • £
1889 Curzon’s “ Persia.” from an official source, . Krs. 60,000,000 = 1,714,000
£
1895-96-97 (average) based on Consular reports:—
Bushire (746,000/. less 5 per cent.) . . . 709,000
Lingah, say ....... 32,000
Muhammerah ....... 68,500
Kermanshah ....... 592,000
Tabriz (between 250,000/. and 199,600/.) . . 225,000
1,626,500
1901-02 (average) based on Consular reports
Bushire (793,000/. less 5 per cent.)
Lingah
Muhammerah * . • . ‘ .
Kermanshah .....
Tabriz, say
Seistan (route only opened in 1899)
754,000
3 1 j 000
92,000
640,000
150,000
3,ooo
1,670,000
From the Persian Customs Statistics, adding Karum, the average for the period
most nearly corresponding to that to which the figures last given belong, appears as
follows
Customs Statistics [plus Karun)
1901- 02 . . ,
1902- 03 .
£
i,59°>9 2 9
1,281,608
£2,872,537 Averag e,(half) 1,436,268
The difference between the last and previous total does not exceed 15 per cent.
As before mentioned, the Bushire Consular Reports convert quantities into values at
somewhat high rates, whereas the Customs valuation for ad valorem duty is certain to oe
well within real value.

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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’ [‎61r] (120/949), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/359/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100093227828.0x000079> [accessed 26 June 2026]

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