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Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [63v] (133/1814)
The record is made up of 2 volumes with inserts (898 folios). It was created in 1892-1924. It was written in English, Urdu and German. 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.
'
XV111
PEKSIA
—Shahrud-Bostam—Total military strength of Khorasan—Commerce
in Khorasan—Former British trade with Meshed—Later conditions —
Apparent Russian ascendancy—Persian figures My information in
Meshed — Report of the British Consulate—Values of British and Russian
imports—Anglo-Indian trade routes—Import duties Russian trade
routes—Custom duties—Largest items—(1) Anglo-Indian—(2) British
—(3) Russian—Exports (1) to Russia—Growth of Russo-Persian trade—
(2) To India—Per so-Afghan trade—Grand total —Steps to be taken by
Great Britain.—^Russian covetousness of Khorasan Contrast to Trans-
caspia—A & teTTC against India—British interests in Khorasan
Persian loyalty—Russian prestige—Feeling towards England
PAGE
177
CHAPTER IX
THE SEISTAN QUESTION
Eastern frontier of Persia—(1) Zulfikar to Seistan—(2) Seistan—(3) Perso-
Beluch boundary—(4) Mekran boundary—District of Seistan—Deriva
tion of the name—Its application—Present condition—Protean trans
formations—Legendary history—Early histor}^—Later history—Sir F.
Golds mid’s Commission in 1872—Partition of Seistan—Independent
opinion—Present administration—European travellers—Political value
of Seistan—Value to Russia—Value to Great Britain—Strategical
importance—Engineering facilities—Nushki-Seistan line—Future of
Afghanistan—Military criticism—Hostile opinion—Sir FI. Rawlinson—
Favourable opinions of natural fertility—A link in a larger chain . . 223
CHAPTER X
FROM MESHED TO TEHERAN
Postal route between Meshed apd Teheran—Speed of locomotion—Cost of
journey—Minister of Posts—Pros and cons of the cliapar—ThQ chapar-
lihaneli —The bala-hlianeh —The Persian post-horse—Its humours—
General character of road—Its lessons—Table of stations and dis
tances—Alternative line—Departure from Meshed—The piety of pil
grims Sherifabad — Corpse-caravans—Kadamgah—Plain of Nishapur
—City of Nishapur—Its history and fame—Its cfestructions—Tomb of
Omar el Khayam Roads—Turquoise mines — History of working—
F inancial return Purchase of stones—Deception—Zafarani—Sebzewar
Minaret of Khosrugird—Its history—Mihr and Mazinan—Pilgrim
kafilahs Others Caravanserais—Camels by night—The poetry of con
trast—I urkoman forays—Military escort—Perils and panic of the
pilgiims I ales of capture—Service of the Russians—Pul-i-Abrishum
Abbasabad Miandasht — Dahaneh-i-Zaidar — Armian—Shahrud —
Bazaars Bostam—Deputation from the Governor—Second section of
journey Deserted cities Damghan—History—Dowletabad—Tumuli
Ahuan Semnan Lasgird—Road to Kishlak—The Caspian Gates—
The Sirdara Pass Hostile considerations—The real gates—Demavend
—Aiwan-i-Kaif—Teheran . . . ^ ,245
About this item
- Content
These two volumes are George Curzon's own personal annotated copies of both volumes of his book Persia and the Persian Question , which was published in 1892. Alongside the volumes are various loose papers relating to Persia [Iran], consisting of the following: received correspondence; newspaper cuttings; publishers' press releases; cuttings from various booksellers' catalogues; various journal and magazine articles; two items of printed official British correspondence; several prints of photographs and sketches; and a few handwritten notes by Curzon.
In most cases these papers, which range in date from 1892 to 1924, relate to the chapters in the book where they were originally inserted, suggesting that they were kept by Curzon with the intention of using them to inform a revised edition of the book.
Of particular note among the small amount of correspondence are two letters received by Curzon in 1914 and 1915 from retired schoolmaster and Islamic scholar Sayyid Mazhar Hasan Musawi of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India (ff 5-9 and ff 44-53). These letters, which are written in Urdu and are accompanied by English translations, discuss in detail several inaccuracies found in the Urdu version of Persia and the Persian Question .
The various prints of photographs and sketches, which were originally inserted into volume two, are of different locations in the Gulf region. Several of these appear to have been produced in preparation for the publication of the second volume of John Gordon Lorimer's Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Oman and Central Arabia (i.e. the 'Geographical and Statistical' section) in 1908, as they are identical to the versions found in that volume.
Also of note among the loose papers are an illustrated article from Country Life dated 5 June 1920, entitled 'The People of Persia' (ff 36-37), and a printed family tree of the Shah of Persia [Aḥmad Shah Qājār], produced in preparation of his visit to Britain in 1919 (f 233).
Volume one of Persia and the Persian Question contains a map of Persia, Afghanistan and Beluchistan [Balochistan], which is folded inside the front cover (f 1).
The German language material consists of a publisher's press release for two books authored by German archaeologist Ernst Emil Herzfeld (ff 29-30).
- Extent and format
- 2 volumes with inserts (898 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: this shelfmark consists of two physical volumes. The foliation sequence commences at the first folio of volume one (1-463), and terminates at the last folio of volume two (ff 464-898); these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Each volume contains a large number of loose leaves, which have been foliated in the order that they were inserted into the volume; for conservation reasons, these loose folios have been removed from the volume and stored separately. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers of the two volumes.
Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English, Urdu and German in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [63v] (133/1814), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100157213842.0x00008c> [accessed 14 July 2026]
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/33
- Title
- Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Questionby George Curzon, with Inserted Papers
- Pages
- 54r:135v, 147r:149v, 158r:180v, 183r:221v, 224r:224v, 227r:246v, 248r:257v, 259r:260v, 268r:362v, 364r:364v, 367r:388v, 390r:400v, 402r:416v, 419r:432v, 434r:444v, 448r:462v, 464r:471v, 475r:481v, 483r:513v, 516r:525v, 527r:544v, 546r:563v, 566r:598v, 600r:622v, 624r:656v, 658r:665v, 667r:675v, 678r:684v, 687r:688v, 691r:691v, 693r:693v, 695r:708v, 711r:721v, 724r:726v, 728r:729v, 731r:736v, 742r:742v, 746r:757v, 759r:761v, 763r:763v, 765r:765v, 772r:777v, 780r:789v, 793r:794v, 797r:809v, 811r:821v, 825r:840v, 843r:898v
- Author
- Curzon, George Nathaniel, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
- Usage terms
- Public Domain