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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [378r] (754/949)
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
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5 f-
Telegram No. 1236-E.A., dated the 20th April 1904.
From—His Excellency the Viceroy, Simla,
To-Sie A. Hardinge, K.C.M.G., C.B., His Britannic Majesty’s Minister, Tehran.
Please refer to your telegram No. 69, dated the 16th April 1901. There is o1^> i>'lb
net, and apparently there never has been, on Henjamany Persian fla* but only
a pole on the plinth of the British telegraph station. This was put up by
Malik-ut-Tujar some years ago, after an unsuccessful attempt to erect it at a
village on the south coast of the island. This was resisted by the local Arabs
on the ground that the island belongs to the Sheikh of Debai, whose nephew
resides as Sheikh in the aforenamed village. The pole will be quietly removed,
but as it was erected on a British building without reference to the British
Government, there seems no need to re-erect it. We have no desire to repudiate
the Shah’s authority for occupation of the station and the surrounding area
held from 18G8 to ^880, but our resumption of the site ought not to he made an
excuse for disturbing the status quo or for introducing officials of the Persian
Government or for levying taxes on the island, where there are no symbols of
Persian authority at present, and where the Arabs are now unmolested.
Repeated to the
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.
and the Political
Agent at Maskat.
Telegram, No. 74, dated the 20th April 1904.
From— Sir A. Hardinge, K.G.M.G., C.B. His Biitannic Majesty’s Minister,
Tehran,
To—The Secretory to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
Tamb and Abu Musa. Please see your telegram No. 34. We do not *3*^ ^ 377
appear to have received a copy of the despatch from the Government of India,
dated the 18th June 1903, but I presume that it establishes absolute invalidity
of Persian claim to these isles, which are, however, coloured Persian in the
Viceroy’s own unofficial map of 1892 as well as in the Indian survey map of
1897. It is clear that, on this assumption, we must support the rights acquired
by the Sheikh of Shargah, but before hauling down the Persian flag it would
be courteous to give the Persians a chance of removing it themselves. If they
refused we could say that we had shown them more consideration than they
had for the Sheikh of Shargah, and could carry out the proposal of the Govern
ment of India. I might induce Monsieur Nans to remove his guards and flag ;
and Arab flag could, after a convenient interval, then be unostentatiously
rehoisted. I would like to avoid any suggestion that we were acting in a high
handed or unfriendly fashion, or any violent incident of a nature likely to
offend Persian pride.
Addressed to Foreign Office, London.
Telegram, No. 1305-E. A., dated the 23rd April 1904.
ir rom The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department, Simla,
To— Major P. Z. Cox, C.I.E., 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.
, 3
Bushire.
I am directed to request that copies of Lieutenant-Colonel Kemball’s
etters dated the 12th January and 30th April 1903, and ot my letters dated
he 10th March and the 15th June 1903, regarding Abu Musa and lamb, may
>e forwarded to Sir A. Hardinge at lehran.
Telegram, No. 1306-E. A., dated the 28rd April 1904..
jj. rom The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department, Simla,
To— Sir A Hardinge K.C.M.G.,C.B., His Britannic Majesty’s Minister at Tehran. 'Ig,
Please refer to your telegram dated the 20th April 190*. Instructions
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’ [378r] (754/949), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/359/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100093227831.0x00009b> [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