![‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎263r] (524/949)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0003c3/Mss Eur F111_359_0537.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎263r] (524/949)")
‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [263r] (524/949)
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.
(Confidential)
/
Dated Simla, the 13th August 1903.
From—L. W. Dane, Esq., Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Depart
ment,
To—L ieutenant-Colonel C. A. Kemball, C.I.E.,
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 Viceroy has desired me to write to you in the strictest confidence
about a plan that he proposes to carry into execution in the forthcoming
winter.
He proposes to visit the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
probably in the Hardinge, escorted
by the Admiral and a flotilla of men-of-war, in order to inspect the Indian
Establishments in the Gulf and to testify to the predominant influence that is
already and must continue to be exercised by Great Britain in those waters.
This will be a great departure, and will excite much interest and concern. It
will probably be warmly welcomed by all those who, like yourself, are engaged
in the not always easy task of upholding British prestige in those parts.
There are a number of points upon which the Viceroy desires me to
consult you in confidence before his plans are further matured. Pirst as to
the places to be visited. His idea is to leave Karachi about the middle of
November and to cross straight to Maskat. There he would spend a day or a
day and-a-half, and would then round Cape Musandim to the Pirate Coast.
His Excellency’s idea is to hold a
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
for all the Trucial Chiefs on that
Coast, to which they would he summoned from far and wide. The place
selected might be Ras-el-Khermoils or Shargah, or Debai, and your advice is
solicited both upon the idea and the locality.
Prom there, or perhaps, previously to going there, the Viceroy would
proceed northwards to Bunder Abbas where he would spend a day, perhaps,
also landing at Ormuz. Thence he would proceed to Bassidore and, if thought
desirable, to Lingah.
The next point would he Bahrein where one or two days would he spent.
Thence the squardon would cross to Bushire for a day or a day and-a-half.
And the last port of call would be Koweit. It would probably be unnecessary
to ascend the Shat-el-Arab to Mohammerah. The entire duration of the trip
to and from Karachi would probably be about three weeks.
You will doubtless give us the benefit of your advice upon the details of
this programme. The Viceroy would further like to know what are the
climate and weather that may be anticipated at that season and whether landing
will, as a rule, be feasible or easy. His Excellency knows that February and
March would have been a better time of the year. But he could not come
then, and it is accordingly a case of now or never.
Next arises the question of the manner in which this visit is likely to be
regarded at the Persian ports that would be visited, by the Persian officials
stationed there. No British official of the rank of the Viceroy would ever
have appeared at those places, and it would be undesirable that they should
fail to recognize the importance of the occasion. It may be that the Persian
Government would think fit to send an official from Tehran specially to meet
and offer a welcome to His Excellency.
Purther, the political aspect of the case must not be overlooked: and
indeed this is its more important feature. It may be that the Chiefs of
Maskat, the Pirate Coast, Bahrein, and Koweit will expect, when so big a
personage as the Viceroy of India appears upon the scene, that some new form
of engagement will be concluded with them. They may desire some fresh
arrangements of this sort. It may be desirable, or it may be undesirable, in
some cases it may be impossible, to grant them. In any case His Majesty’s
Government would, of course, have to be consulted before anything was finally
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
Use and share this item
- Share this item
‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [263r] (524/949), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/359/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100093227830.0x00007d> [accessed 13 July 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100093227830.0x00007d
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100093227830.0x00007d">‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎263r] (524/949)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100093227830.0x00007d"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0003c3/Mss Eur F111_359_0537.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0003c3/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
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