![Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎718v] (1453/1814)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_1469.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎718v] (1453/1814)")
Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [718v] (1453/1814)
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.
382
PERSIA
sunrise, he was most anxious that I should not ride out to the
place of anchorage till the next morning, in order that he might
send a large mounted escort with me.
The starting-point and terminus of navigation on the Ab-i-
Gerger is at a spot called Shelailieh, between six and seven miles
Descent of below the town, the course of the canal above that point
the Gerger obstructed by more than one semi-natural, semi-
artificial blinds although the ‘ Assyria 5 in 1842 succeeded in thread
ing a passage to within two miles of the city. At Shelailieh,
where is a miserable village on the right bank, boats are in the
habit of lading or unlading their cargo, which must be conveyed
to or from Shushter on donkeys or mules. I fancy that by a little
blasting a channel could be opened to a point nearer the town, and
chat the nuisance of this rather lengthy land portage might accord-
ingly be abridged. My descent of the Gerger Canal as far as
Bund-i-Kir occupied 7^ hours, the same time being consumed
between Bund-i-Kir and Ahwaz. The canal follows a very tortuous
course, and has worn in time a bed deeply sunk between banks of
clay, the old banks on the higher level looking strangely forlorn in
the absence of the big stream which they once confined. There is
far more and thicker jungle on the banks of the Gerger than on
those of the Karun ; and throughout our voyage winged game,
starting up from the water’s edge, whirred over our heads from one
bank to the other. The average width of the canal is from 50 to
/o >ards; and a boat of over 100 feet would find it almost impos
sible to make some of the turns.
As a special compliment the Nizam had sent two of his suite to
accompany me as far as Ahwaz. They were also bearers of letters
The Mirza f° fhe Mirza, whom, however, I had now so entirely for-
a ^ m gotten in my satisfaction at having successfully accom
plished the journey, and at having further caught the c Shushan/
which was to wait for me up to a certain date at Ahwaz, that I
went on board Messrs. Lynch’s steamer without lending a thought
to my obsti uctionist professor of a few days before. I was just
turning m at 1 A.M., when a knock at my cabin-door revealed the
figure of the Mirza, slightly the worse for liquor, and in a pitiable
condition of mingled humiliation and fright. He explained that
the Nizam had written him a severe reprimand, and had threatened
to cancel a whole year’s salary for his behaviour on my upward
journey ; and he submissively implored me to write a parting
i
1
J
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 [718v] (1453/1814), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100157213849.0x000036> [accessed 9 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213849.0x000036
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_100157213849.0x000036">Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎718v] (1453/1814)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213849.0x000036"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_1469.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