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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [456v] (911/949)
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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7
The prsition is summed up in the Secretary of State’s despatch.-
[It may be added that the three ftagstaffs are still up.]
It is true that the western side of the promontory cannot be considered anywhere but in
the Persim Gulf ; the same, however, can-
But Telegraph Island lies in the Elphmstone no fc sa)( j 0 f eastern side : and therefore
Inlet which is on the western side of the proinou- , T i j / j -vi t re ^.i
J oiy Telegraph Island (and pnss*b]y the statt on the
L. RrssEtL isthmus) is not protected by Lord Lansdowne's
Vide sketch map in Secret E., March 191)5, Nos. statement of May 5th, 1903.
707-794.
His Excellency, in his note of 25th March ISflo, contemplated the removal of the Sheep
Island flag staff, but wished the other two Hag-
Secret E„ Progs., May 1905, Nos. 1/0-2S7. staffs to be retained and explanations furnished
to the Suitan pointing to our action being a matter of telegraph routine. The condition on
which this was to be done was that we were “driven to take the line that the Musandim
promontory belongs to the Sultan ” This condition has now been fulfilled 'see paragraph 2 of
page 23 of British counter-case) and it is now for orders whether action sh mid be taken on
His Excellency’s notes.
I venture to draw attention to the following points :
(a) W’hatever definition of Omani tenitory is contained (and it is couched in rather
vague terms) in the British counter-case might be held not t> affect tile
islands off the promontory and therefore it might be argued that we have still
not recognized the Sultan's so*
■ ™ s * rs ' ,ment ” ou ” 0, ' ■■ ’veignty over Telegraph Wand *
Island ; but that flag stall is not
C.S ombrs Cocks,
Sueh an argument would perhaps
savour of disingenuousness.
(£) The presence of the flagstaffs on the Isthmus and on Sheep Island has hitherto
attracted the notice neither of the Sultan nor of the French, and their con
signment to the former or their removal now might result iu the Arbitration
Tribunal’s attention being drawn to our previous action.
(c) We shall uot know our bearings until the Arbitration award*. It is possible
they may (quite unjustifiably) take
on themselves to define the limits
of Oman territory and exclude
Musandim (this is however improb
able) and in any case until their
pronouncement it seems highly
desirable to keep the hands of Gov
ernment quite free for the adoption of any policy that may seem suitable.
I venture therefore to suggest that no action should be taken now to furnish His
Majesty’s Government with the matured views of the Government of India, but that we should
telegraph an ad interim reply proposing that no action be taken till the declaration of th&
award.
Draft telegram submitted for approval. A copy might go by post, e l * c., to Major Cox.
17-7-05 C. Someps Cocks,
* Dne on August 24th, £ e., the Tribunal meets on
July 25th, and the decision must be within 30 Jays
after by Article IV of the Anglo-French agreement
of October 13th, 1904.
(Secret E , Progs. May 1905, Nos. 170-287,
and Mr. Monnsey’s No. 105 of June 3.d.
19-7-05.
L. Russell.
In the altered circumstances produced by the recignition of the Sultan’s sovereignty over
the Musandim Peninsula, I venture to think that we shall gain nothing by maintaining a
flagstaff on Telegraph Island and that like those on Sheep Island and the isthmus between
Elphinstone and Malcolm lulets, it had better be removed.
2. In the first place, however, it should he recognised that we have the right to have
^Pros. 242 and 251 in Secret E., June 1899, Nos. the flagstaff on Telegraph Island 'without, as
194 346. Major Cox imagines, exposing ourselves to the
charge of creating a parallel to the Bunder Gisseh incident. The occupation of a telegraph
station ou the island iu question could be represented as no more inconsistent with the
sovereignty of the Sultan of Maskat than is the presenoe of our flag at Jask and at Hen jam a
violation of the sovereign rights of the Shah of Persia. The Hen jam case would, iu fact,
supply an exact precedent lor the reoccupation of an abandoned telegraph station with the
consent of the territorial ruler concerned.
8 . But, assuming our right to reoccupy Telegraph Island, the question is what advantage
we shin d get out of it. Were we really intending to use the place for telegraph purposes,
the matter would be different, but we have no such intention at present, and should we ever
entertain it in the future, there is nothing, as Major Cox points out, to prevent us from
reviving our rights when needed. Our real aims, as has frequently been recognized, are two :
( 1 ) to deter, except at risk of war, any power contemplating a landing in that
neighbourhood. 3 °
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’ [456v] (911/949), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/359/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100093227832.0x000070> [accessed 17 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