Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [214r] (430/1814)
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.
FROM MESHED TO TEHERAN 247
to Demavend (near Teheran), a total distance of 1,700 miles, in
seventeen days, with the news of Napoleon’s escape from Elba.
On the other hand, when there is no purpose in haste, no rider can
be so slow as a Persian. If he is not proceeding at a headlong
gallop, he affects a dignified crawl; and in the whole of my chapar
rides I never once met a native who was moving at more than a
foot-pace on horseback.
As this is the first occasion upon which I have required to de-
sciibe chajpar riding from personal experience, and as I subsequently
Cost of rode considerably over a thousand miles by the same
means, I may as well here condense whatever of observa
tion or suggestion I have to make upon the subject. I have already
in Chapter II. (upon TVays and Means) supplied all necessary in
formation as to cost and procedure. The basis of calculation there
laid down will show that for four horses—self, gholam, postboy,
and baggage (for I duly purchased my own experience by taking
on this occasion, but on this only, an extra baggage animal, which
cost me many a hard gallop in pursuit as well as a proportionate
loss of time)—my journey from Meshed to Teheran cost 600 krans
or, at the then rate of exchange, about 17Z., exclusive of tips to
the postboys and payment for the use of quarters at night,
amounting to about 2 tl. more, and the cost of food on Toute,
which will depend in each case upon the amount of tinned meat
carried by the traveller. The journey will not in any case cost
over 201. My sole companion and attendant upon this journey
was a Perso-Afghan gholam (mounted courier or Jcavass) of the
British Legation at Teheran, who bore the imposing name of Nadir
Ali Khan, and who was well posted in all the tricks of the road.
The postal system in Persia, about the inauguration of which
I shall have something to say later on, is under the superintendence
Minister of °f a Minister of Posts; but as the present tenant of that
office holds two other portfolios- in addition, besides being
President of the Council, it may be inferred that it is not regarded
as one of commanding importance. The Government allows him a
certain annual sum for the repair and equipment of every post-
house upon the Government roads, as well as an annual allowance
of barley and straw as fodder for the horses . 1 The Minister does
Quite recently there were 172 Government chapar-lthanehs, and the Treasury
allowance was 20
tomans
10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value.
(57 1H.) a year for each, as well as 10 Kharvars (nearly
5 tons) of barley, and the same amount of straw, for the horses.
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 [214r] (430/1814), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100157213844.0x000025> [accessed 4 June 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
![Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎214r] (430/1814) Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎214r] (430/1814)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_0441.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg)