‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎131v] (261/949)

No. 911 , dated Camp Kohak, the 15 tk July 1903 .
From— Colonel A. H. McMahon, C.S.I., C.I.E., British Commissioner, Seistan
Arbitration Commission,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department.
In continuation of my letter No. 909, dated 18th June 1903, on the
subject of the control of the Helmand River above Seistan, I have the honour
to make the following remarks on certain political aspects of the situ ition
which present themselves in considering the possibility or accomplishment ot
such control.
2. It has been shown in my report, above quoted, that the effective control
of the Helmand, if carried out by proper engineering works and made use of
by proper irrigation methods, would result in enormous material advantage to
both Afghanistan and Persia. It would enable Persia to increase the present
commanded area of 772 square miles by 1,761 square miles, and Afghanistan
• Recent s „rve, 9 show that this figure is an its . P^nt commanded area of 516 square
under-estimate. miles by 840* square miles on the right
a. h McMahon. hank of the Helmand and 1,974 square
miles on the left hank, i.e., by a total of 2,814 square miles. The water avail
able suffices at a very low and safe estimate fully to irrigate 750,000 acres
of spring crop and a still larger area of autumn crop yearly.
8. The above results, beneficial to both countries, can only, however, be
brought about if the control of the river be in the hands of a third party,
neither Afghan nor Persian, possessed of the funds, technical knowledge, and
irrigation establishments necessary for the purpose required. In payment for
the works constructed and establishments employed, a share of the revenue of
irrigated lands could he given, or a tract of land now waterless but capable
of irrigation and cultivation when the river is controlled could be allotted. In
either manner, a fair profit on capital and recurring expenditure involved could
he arranged for.
4. The above would be an ideal arrangement by which all parties con
cerned would mutually profit.
5. The control of the Helmand above Seistan, either in whole or in part,
can, however, he made use of in a manner very detrimental to one of the parties
concerned, i.e., Persia.
6. It has been shown that by a work of no very great magnitude the
whole Helmand can be diverted from its present course into the Gaud-i-Zirreh.
This can, moreover, be done with the greater ease at the time when water is
most required, i e., at the late autumn and spring sowings. Failure of water
at those seasons would mean the total failure of the summer crop on which the
prosperity of the country depends.
7. To divert the whole Helmand into the Gaud-i-Zirreh would, however,
entail similarly disastrous results in Afghan Seistan, hut the same irrigation
work which could be used for thus diverting the whole river can be used for
diverting a sufficient portion of it into a canal system on the right bank of
the Helmand to irrigate the whole of present cultivated Afghan Seistan and
a great deal more in addition. In this case a total failure of crops would also
he brought about in Persian Seistan, but with great gain to Afghanistan.
8. Similarly, the whole Helmand at the same point can be divided between
the Afghan Seistan on the right bank and the large Tarakun tract of good
land within Afghan limits on the left bank of the river. Persian Seistan
would again suffer.
9. The full attainment of any of the results sketched above would depend
on a complete control of the river by proper irrigation works, but some of these
results can be obtained by smaller, rougher works of a temporary nature.
Herein lies the danger and difficulty of the situation. The Afghans know,
and have known for some years past, the importance of the tract on the left
bank of the river. Numerous injunctions have of late years been received from
Kabul to push on the canal into the Tarakun tract. A small canal already
exists as far as Killa Alzal, and its enlargement and extension have only been
delayed by boundary disputes in Seistan and by the coming of this Mission.