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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [297r] (592/949)
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.
(Received cn 18 ih December 1903 icith Rolitical Secretary's letter No. 50 }
dated 27 th November 1903 .)
f October 19th.]
Section 1.
PERSIA AND ARABIA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
The Maequess op Lansdowne to Sir A. Hardinge.
(No. 102 .) Foreign Office,
October 19 th, 1903 .
Sir,
I have received your despatch No. 152 , of the 27 th ultimo, relative to the
visit which the Viceroy of India will shortly pay to the Persian Gult.
I approve the terms of the note which you have addressed to the Persian
Government on this subject.
I am, etc.,
LANSDOWNE.
No. 826, dated Baghdad, the 16th December 1903 (Confidential).
From— Captain W. H. Cox, D.S.O., for
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 Turkish
Arabia and His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General, Baghdad,
T 0 The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department.
In continuation of my letter No. 818 , dated the 14 th instant, I have the
honour to submit, for the information of the Government of India, a copy of a
letter dated 12 th idem, from the British Vice-Consul at Karbala reporting the
rumours current there in connection with His Excellency the Viceroy s recen
visit to the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
.
British Vice-Consulate,
Karbala, 12 th De cember 1903 .
CONFIDENTIAL.
Sir,
In continuation of my confidential letter dated 28th ultimo, I beg to
inform you that His Excellency the Viceroy s visit to the Persian Gult has
created a very perplexing anxiety amongst the chief authorities here
genera ^ ^ belieTed t o be exclusively based on political purposes which
will end entirely unsatisfactorily to them. Humours are l^rd every where
that the Viceroy is accompanied by seven “ e “- ot ; w “ r nw a !l? T I news has
ruuees with which he intends to build a fort at Koweit. 1 his news as
greatly added to the distraction of the Government whose so ' lclt " de ^
how to find out how far His Excellency is determined to come. Is it as
far as Basrah ? A question which has often been asked trom me.
They have also secretly telegraphed to the Persian (and have
asked them to he on the alert for their shores and boundaries durmg the ms t
of Lord Curzon, and the latter basin reply informed them that they need
not be anxious about them as they have already been engaged m undertakin
what is necessary and that it is only for them to be watchful and p.otect
themselves. This communication has been carried out very confidenti y
between the two Governments, and it has not as yet become publicly kno .
Sayad Hassan Hakim Zada has lately been asked by the Yah of Bagh a
to come to Baghdad and pay him a visit. This invitation appears to me some
thing unusual and others believed that there is something extraordinary at the,
bottom of it. Some state that the Baghdad Vilayet has been mformed that
certain persons at Karbala and Nejef are holding prrva e nego
the foreigners against 1'orkey, and that, if they continue in t e sa
3542 F. D.
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’ [297r] (592/949), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/359/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100093227830.0x0000c1> [accessed 15 August 2026]
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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