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‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [468r] (934/949)
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.
n
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.
, London, Q
19th May 1905.
Secret, No 16.
1. His Excellency Goyenior-deneral
My Lord,
With reference to my telegram* of the 30th December last, I haye to
of f S,r5, E ^!T y « tUaU ^ ^^ion
fl.,'at Qapc Musaniim, etc. 8 ®5 hoisting the British flag at Cape Aiusan-
bearings by His Majesty’s GoTernment™ as 1)ce ' 1 full y consil Iere(l in all its
2 . The object which the Government of India desire to attain, as stated
No. 2! in Secret E., November 1902 , Nog. 7. m their Secret lettersf in the Foreisn
AT 100 4 . A 4 -i OW T Department of the 23rd October iqrw
Ko. 192,t and the 21st January 1904, No. 16,{ is to prevent any Foreign
X No. 326 in Secret e., June 1904 , Nos. 300-388. Louver establishing a commandino- position
•sr • I » n . .. at entrance of the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
His
Majesty s Government are in entire agreement with your Excellency as to the
necessity of proven ing any such action on the part of a Foreign Power he
first result of which would be to entail an increase of naval expenditure and
a re-arrangement of our naval dispositions. It only remains, therefore, to con-
sider the best means of securing this object.
4 i ?• fl [} ie method which the Government of dndia have desired to adopt, viz.,
to hoist the British flag at certain points in the immediate vicinity of Cane
Musandim, is open to the objection that it would not confer upon us any
special rights in the places selected, unless it were accompanied by a specific
proclamation of protectorate or annexation. On the other hand, an open
assertion of our claims to these places might excite the jealousy of other
Powers, and give rise to political complications.
4. The alternative method would be to make it clear that His Majesty’s
Government would not tolerate the occupation by any Foreign Power of any
port or territory in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
. It will be within your Excellency’s re-
collection that on the 3th May 1903 Lord Lansdowne stated in the House
Lords that u wo should regard the establishment of a naval base or of a fortified^V^^^
port in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
by any other Power as a very great menace to British
interests, and we should certainly resist it with all the means at our disposal.” turd olUo ^
To this declaration His Majesty’s Government adhere, and it is their
intention to rely upon it for the protection of their interests. .
5. These considerations have led His Majesty’s Government, as I stated in
my telegram of the 31st March last, to modify the orders contained in
„ „ my telegram 1| of the 4thf August 1904.
^ No. 709 in SecretE,March 1905. Nos. 707- ^ t]ie COUc l usio ° n that the
^ ( 2 ah ?) flagstaffs on Sheep Island and the isthmus
between Malcolm and Elphinstone Inlets should be abandoned, and that it
would be sufficient for the purposes of the policy laid down in the preceding
paragraph to maintain the flagstaff upon Telegraph Island as a sign of the
continuance of our occupation of that spot which first took place in connection
with the operations of the Eastern Telegraph Company in 1869.
6. The opinion of His Majesty’s Government with regard to the flagstaff
on Telegraph Island was based on the
No 21 in Secret E., November 1C02, Nos. 7-21. conclu8ion> formulated in the Secret
letter from your Excellency’s Government, No. 192,** of the 23rd October
1902, that the jurisdiction of the Sultan of Maskat over the Makhlab Isthmus
and Musandim Promontory was of so uncertain and ineffective a character that
it would be open to His Majesty’s Government to ignore it.
13
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’ [468r] (934/949), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/359/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100093227832.0x000087> [accessed 12 July 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