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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [453r] (904/949)
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.
FOREIGN DEPARTMENT NOTES,
SECRET—E., AUGUST 1905.
Nos. 288-307.
QUESTION OF RETAINING THE FLAGSTAFFS ERECTED IN THE
NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE MUSANDIM PROMONTORY.
From the 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. 8, dated the 21th
February (received 13th March) 1905.
Communication from the Admiralty to the
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.
t dated 11th February
1905, on the subject of the flags proposed to be hoisted in the neighbour
hood of Cope Musandim.
[Dbmi-officiai.J
Dated Maskat, the 8 th March 1905.
Froai— Captain A. Gbkt, British Consul and
Political Agent
A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency.
, Maskat,
To—S. M. Fkasbb, Esq., C I.E., Offg. Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
Befening to the matter of the flagstaffs on Musandim peninsula, there appear to me to
be two courses, either of which might be adopted should it be decided not to claim the sites as
British territory. One is that we should induce the Sultan of Maskat, who claims the
ground, to give the sites to us, and the other is that we should cause him to erect his own
flags on the staffs already standing.
Either of these would prevent foreign occupation, and I am sure that the Sultan would
agree to the second plan at least.
Subsequently we could easily obtain his permission to make what use we wished of the
neighbourhood, and he is as you know pledged not to give or lease territory to other powers.
I thought you would not mind my suggesting these alternatives.
A copy of the
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.
print may be for-
As gTo' 64 C Somers Cocks. warded to Major Cox for information and further
* * * ’ developments awaited. Draft below.
71, Aitcbison’s
7-21.
2. As regards the suggestion that the northern extremity of the Musandim promontory be
acquired by g'ift we have a precedent in the case of the Kurria Murria islands. But these
islands were ceded in 1854i * before the conclusion
of the Anglo-French declaration, and in connection
with the proposals submittedt to the Secretary of
State in 1902, in respect to the re-occupation of
the old telegraph buildings at Elphinstone Inlet,
His Excellency Lord Curzon enquiredj; about the
lines on which we objected to the grant of Bunder
Jisseh to the French in 1899 by the Sultan of
Maskat. It was then explained that the objection§
was based both upon the Declaration of 1862,[J
and the agreement of 189l,^[ and it was further
mentioned^ that the “French Government ac
cepted** our reading of the Treaty of 1862
that neither State might accept any cession or lease of Maskat territory.
2. The first suggestion of Captain Grey would, therefore, seem to be one that is likely to
re-open old discussions, while the second will mean a change in the policy so far pursued as to
ttsec Nos. 173 and 177 in Secret E„ August 1904, include the territory in question in the charge of
Nos T 172 - 179 . the Consultt at Bunder Abbas The matter
might well be left in the hands of His Majesty’s Government until the Defence Committee
}|see page 28 of notes in Secret E„ March 1905, W been able to give an opinion. JJ
Nos. 707-779.
• Sec Deed of Cession at page
Treaties, Volume XI, 1892.
f Pro. 21 in Secret E., November 1902, Nos
X Page 4 of notes, ibid.
§ Ibid.
|| See Nos. 200 and 210 in Secret E., March 1891,
Nos. 104-212. , , ,,
A copy of this Agreement(a) was sent by tne
Sultan of Maskat to the French Consul. See No.
182 in Secret L., March 1899, Nos, 101-212.
(a) For Agreement of 1891 see No. 393 in Secret E.,
July 1891, Nos. 395-398.
** No. 281 in Secret E , June 1899, Nos 194-343,
Also see answer to question asked in the House of
Commons on the 9 th March 189’J (No. 332, ibid).
C. O’H. T.,—16-2-05.
H. P. C.,—16-3-05.
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’ [453r] (904/949), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/359/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100093227832.0x000069> [accessed 31 July 2026]
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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