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Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [878r] (1772/1814)
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.
BRITISH AND RUSSIAN POLICY IN PERSIA
617
adopted, I cannot but regard it as unfortunate that over a period
covering more than a quarter of a century so little advantage has
been taken of the fortuitous presence on the spot of so splendid a
band of pioneers. No effort, or but the scantiest effort, has been
made by the British Government to utilise their knowledge, their
services, or their possible influence. In one or two cases con
spicuous local authority has caused a telegraph official to be
entrusted with political duties ; but these cases can be counted
upon the fingers of one hand. This was mainly attributable in
the past to a long-standing jealousy between the British Legation
at Teheran and the Telegraph Department, who worked in haughty
independence of each other and resented anything like common
action. The Department was, indeed, a sort of vmperium in imperio,
and conducted negotiations with local governors, &c., on its own
account, neither receiving nor soliciting diplomatic assistance.
But now that these foolish jealousies have ceased to exist, it is
worth while considering whether such of these officials as are
competent might not be encouraged to extend their knowledge of
the country by travel and surveys—an object for which engineers
and sappers were presumably originally selected for the service
and whether their superior officers, who are frequently the first-
authorities upon the districts with which they are familiar, might
not be put en rapport with the Government, and permitted to use
their influence, which is often considerable, in the facilitation ol
the work of progress in Persia which England is now seriously
taking in hand. How great the weight of personal influence with
such a people may be was recognised by none more clearly than
Sir J. Malcolm in the opening years of this century. I he wise
words with which he admonished his suite, then for the first time
entering Persia, may still be borne in mind: ‘ In the absence of
books the Persians will peruse us, and from what they see and
hear, form their opinion of our country. Let us take care, there
fore, that nothing is found in the page but what is found in
England, and believe me that with such a people more depends
upon personal impressions than upon treaties. I am not unawaie
that there is another side to the case. The maxim Ac suton ultra
crepidam will be quoted, and it may be said that telegiaph officials,
if the recipients of even a tacit commission, will give themselves
great airs, will neglect their duties, and will leport meie gossip
to Teheran ; that if attached to the Legation they will involve the
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 [878r] (1772/1814), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100157213850.0x0000ad> [accessed 18 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