![‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎397v] (793/949)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0003c3/Mss Eur F111_359_0806.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎397v] (793/949)")
‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [397v] (793/949)
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.
0
[ 2 ]
Lastly there are the official orders concerning ne, issued to the Bunder Abbas Govern.
menb Neither the Indian Government nor that of Persia can perform any hut official acts.
Thev are not private individuals or companies.
Is it to be argued that the increase of British influence in Persia is not a political ™atter ?
Or that the official nature of the Mission has not enabled, and will not enable, it to do much
more in this line than if it bad been a mere bagman’s tour through the country, trying o dis
pose of a few
tomans
10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value.
worth of goods. .
The most important and constant part of our work consists in the meeting of headmen
of villages and of nomad tribes and of officials as well as the princ.pa merchants and traders,
explaining to them the great interest shown in their welfare by the Goveinment of n ia
thereby of Britain j in having gone to such great expense in sending out a Mission to enquire
into their needs and troubles and to suggest remedies and to encourage the growth of favour
able international commerce ; thus pointing out clearly the vast difference between our policy
and that favoured by Russia, whose “
grab
Shallow vessel with a projecting bow.
-all ” game, played through the Belgian Customs,
is clearly seen and distinctly resented by the Persians.
I tru«t that you will forgive me for my somewhat lengthy note. I am, however, so
constantly havino* the non-official position of this Mission and its members impressed upon me,
that I think it isTonly fair to let you know how matters stand and, if you deem lit, higher
authority.
We might, at least, have been let alone instead of having our arrival, as with the
Governor-General of Kerman, heralded by disclaimers. In consequence of winch the
Governor-General was polite enough neither to return my call nor personally to take any
notice of it* • • v i i A/r *
Luckily no harm has been done, as owing to the very strong position held by Major
Sykes, it has resulted in the Governor-General doing all that, in the face ot his orders, he
could do to render us honour. Had we not had this backing, our Mission would have been
damned to a great extent, and its utility negatived for the rest of our tour, if not for the whole.
News travels fast in the East, and all we have said in the past would have been looked upon
as empty vapouring aud vain words, a state of affairs hardly calculated to raise British
prestige.
I hope Government will find their way to approve of the altered itinerary suggested by
me, and I beg that Major Sykes may be permitted to accompany the Mission to Yezd, which
important trade centre seems to have been somewhat overlooked by my predecessors.
I am sending a copy of this letter to my Chambers for their information.
Hoping to see you on my way through Bushire.
G. I. C. P. 0.—Ni. 4S62 F. D.—20-2-04.—38.-B. B. B.
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’ [397v] (793/949), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/359/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100093227831.0x0000c2> [accessed 18 July 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100093227831.0x0000c2
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_100093227831.0x0000c2">‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎397v] (793/949)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100093227831.0x0000c2"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0003c3/Mss Eur F111_359_0806.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