![Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎295v] (593/1814)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_0604.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎295v] (593/1814)")
Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [295v] (593/1814)
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.
368
PERSIA
Restricting onr observations to Grilan alone, in the absence of
sufficient data upon which to base any more general conclusions
History Of we notice the lamentable falling off in production be-
decline tween the seventeenth and the eighteenth centuries conse
quent upon the anarchy that succeeded the overthrow of the
Sefavean kings. In Hanway’s time Gilan only furnished one-
eighth of the total output in the days of Chardin. At the close
of the century, the firm hold of the Kajar family upon the
northern provinces re-established security and brought with it
a revival of trade. During the first half of the present century
the progress continued without intermission. Sir J. Sheil, when
British Minister, wrote in about the year 1850, 4 Silk is the great
staple of Persian commerce, particularly of foreign traffic, which
enables it to pay for a portion of its imports from abroad.’ He
spoke of attempts that had been made by English merchants to
introduce improvements in the preparation of the silk, but which
the normal supineness of the Persians and their reluctance to
abate one jot or tittle of archaic routine, had rendered unavailing . 1
In 1864, the very year in which, as the above figures show, the
climacteric of production was touched, disease appeared for the
first time. By the year 1869, its ravages had made such serious
inroad that the value of the annual output had sunk to one-fifth
of the figure at which it stood five years before. From this attack
the silk trade of Gilan has never recovered. Eggs from Khorasan
and eggs from Khanikin in Turkey were tried, but with no success.
Eggs were brought all the way from Japan, but without much better
results. In despair at bad season succeeding bad season, the
peasants have turned their attention to other crops. Tobacco was
started as an experiment in 187o. An impulse was given to the
olive cultivation of Rudbar near Resht. In the central silk-
gi owing districts of Persia, opium has been largely adopted as an
alternative, and has produced most gratifying* results. But in the
northern provinces rice has proved the most popular and remunera
tive substitute ; and in a country where new ideas and improved
methods penetrate so slowly as in Persia, it is doubtful whether, at
least in Persian hands, the silk industry will ever permanently
p. 21 ) that they cannot be accepted as absolutely reliable, and are sometimes totally
at variance with the contemporaneous estimates to be found in the Consular
reports from Tabriz. 1 kilogramme = approximately 21 lbs.
Note H. to Lady Shell’s Glimpses of Life and Manners in Persia.
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 [295v] (593/1814), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100157213844.0x0000c8> [accessed 5 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213844.0x0000c8
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_100157213844.0x0000c8">Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎295v] (593/1814)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213844.0x0000c8"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_0604.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