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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [214v] (427/949)
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.
2
/'* 7^ (Received with letter from Secretary, Political Department,
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.
, No. 31, dated the 2Sth
' June 1901.)
PERSIA ANT) ARABIA. [.Tune 171-
CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 1.
No. 1.
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.
to Foreign Office.
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.
,
15tli June 1901.
(Secret).
Sir, .
With reference to your letter of the 10th November 1900 on the subject
of the collection of information in resrard to the ports and islands of the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
, I am directed by Lord George Hamilton to enclose, for Lor<
Lansdowne’s information, a copy of a letter from the Government of India on
the ^ that a further despatch, of which a copy is enclosed, has been
addressed to the Government of India, requesting them to supplement their
information in regard to certain points.
I am, &c.,
A. Godley.
No. 148, dated Bushire, the 16th August 1901 (Confidential).
From-LiEUTENANT-CoLONEL C. A. Kemball, Officiating
Political Resident
A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency.
in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
,
To The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department.
I have the honour to forward, for the information of the Government of
ndia, copy of a report submitted to me by Captain Cox, 1 ohtical Agent at
daskat, on the subject of a place called Rhor Eakan on the Batmeh Coast of
he Gulf of Oman.
I am at present only in a position to submit an ad interim report on the
uhject but the matter is one of considerable importance, and it is ad\ isable
hat the Government of India should know of the reference which has been
made to me on the subject.
2. So far as the question of the right of jurisdiction over Khor Fakan is
concerned, there can, I think, he no doubt. This place is undoubtedly an
appanage of the Joasmee Chief of Shargah, who has certain rights over the strip
of the Batin eh Coast from Dibba on the north to Khor Kelbeh on the south,
Khor Fakan being situated about midway between these two places. I would
invite a reference to the correspondence ending with the letter No. 2188 E.P.,
dated 17th September 1881, from the Under-Secretary to the Government of
India in the Foreign Department, to the address of the Resident in the Persian
Gulf, in which Colonel Ross’s view that the strip of coast above alluded to should
be considered subject to the operation of the Maritime Truce, was accepted hj
the Government of India. I am instituting enquiries with a view to ascertain-
in 0, the degree of authority which the Joasmee Chief maintains along this stretch
of°coast, and at present I can only express my opinion that this Chief would
certainly not view with equanimity any attempt of the Maskat ruler to assert
himself in that quarter; while, on our part, the fact that we have held this
strip of the Batineh Coast to be subject to the Maritime Truce and prevented
the Joasmee Chief from taking action by sea to assert his authority there would
certainly, I think, debar us from giving*the Sultan any countenance or support
in the matter. Any extension of the Sultan’s rule over this part oi the coast
could only be obtained by means of friendly agreement between His Highness
and the Joasmee Chief. If the Sultan desires to bring this region again under
Maskat control, he might, if the Government of India approve, be authorised
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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- 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