![Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎134r] (274/1814)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_0285.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎134r] (274/1814)")
Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [134r] (274/1814)
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.
FKOM KUCHAN TO KELAT-I-NADIKI 131
character, that I was not yet out of the wood, and that it would
be advisable to wait. So I moved to the other side of the gate
way and halted in the sunshine.
In an hour Shukurullah reappeared upon the scene with the
news that the telegram had been refused on the plea that the
Persian line was broken between Kelat and AEeshed. Presently
tactics arrived a mounted emissary from the Ivhan, who was
voluble with explanations, and afforded me an interesting insight
into Persian character. First he repeated that the wiie was
broken; but when I replied that if that were the case it was
unlikely that the Khan would himself have invited me to use it,
he shifted his position and said that the wire, though not broken,
was trailing upon the ground. Upon my rejoining that commu
nication was not thereby interrupted, he was ready with the
counter plea that the Khan had meant me to telegraph not to
Meshed but to Teheran. As there was no wire to Teheian from
Kelat except by Meshed, this falsehood was easily exposed ; but I
confess I was scarcely prepared for the fourth, which immediately
replaced it—viz. that the Khan had meant me to telegraph neither
to Teheran nor to Meshed, but from Meshed on my return thither.
As it was useless bandying words with so accomplished a liar, I
resigned the verbal contest, but insisted upon receiving a direct
answer or a direct refusal from the Khan to my request to telegraph 5
and it was agreed that Gregory, as a more befitting ambassador
than Shukurullah, should ride back to the village and receive a
definite answer to my ultimatum.
All this occurred within 100 yards of the gate of Argawan
Shah on the outer side. As I was giving final instructions to
Abut, ex- Gregory, the Persian, who had remounted, suddenly
CeS asit clapped spurs to his horse, and disappeared like lightning
erupit! through the archway, shouting to the guard not to let
any one through. When Gregory arrived a few seconds later he
was refused the passage. There was nothing more to be done;
and thus ignobly ended my attempt to penetrate to the interior of
Kelat-i-Nadiri! Shukurullah now told me that when he took the
telegram to the office the clerk was about to accept it, when the
Kban’s son came in and said that his father absolutely forbade any
message to be sent at all. I had heard a good deal of Persian
artfulness before entering the country, but had scarcely expected so
artistic a sample within the first fortnight; and I do not know
K 2
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
Use and share this item
- Share this item
Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [134r] (274/1814), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100157213843.0x000051> [accessed 17 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213843.0x000051
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_100157213843.0x000051">Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎134r] (274/1814)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213843.0x000051"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_0285.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_100000001491.0x00033b/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- 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