The volume contains brief biographical statements on individuals active in Persia [Iran], often including comments on their character, reputation, political affiliations, language skills, and attitudes towards European and regional powers. It also contains a number of genealogical tables, and information on important families.The volume has been annotated in several places, comprising additions or removal of material from pre-existing biographies, or the addition of new entries. Clippings from Government correspondence have also been pasted in. These additions are often stamped with a date, which range between 1920 to1923. Additional pages have been added to the volume at several points, most notably at folios 3-8, which contain details of appointments to the Persian Cabinet in 1920 and 1921.1 volume (254 folios)Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 256; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.Additional pages have been pasted into the volume, alongside a number of annotations in blue pencil and black ink.
This file begins with draft instructions, under the heading 'Anglo-Russian Relations', apparently written by John Morley, Secretary of State for India, for Sir Arthur Nicolson, British Ambassador at St Petersburg, in advance of negotiations over an Anglo-Russian agreement.The instructions are divided into two sections, 'Persia' and 'Afghanistan', and they concern Britain's and Russia's respective interests in Persia and Afghanistan. The instructions outline important points on which Nicolson is expected to base any future agreement with Russia (of which a fundamental requirement is Russia's recognition both of the independence and integrity of Persia, and of the territorial integrity of Afghanistan). The remaining instructions relate to issues of trade in Persia and Afghanistan.The draft instructions are followed by an extract from a private letter from Lord Minto [Gilbert John Elliot Murray Kynynmound], Viceroy and Governor-General of India, to John Morley, dated 12 June 1906.In the letter, Lord Minto responds to Morley's draft instructions for Sir Arthur Nicolson. Minto gives his opinions on the wording and possible implications of each paragraph of the draft instructions. Most of Minto's letter details his opposition to the idea that Great Britain and Russia should agree not to extend their railways in the direction of the frontiers of Afghanistan for the next ten years, for which Minto offers a number of political and military considerations.Minto's letter is followed by a letter from Lord Kitchener [Horatio Herbert Kitchener] to Lord Minto, dated 23 May 1906, in which Kitchener responds to Minto's letter of 19 May 1906, which requested Kitchener's opinion on the question of the Frontier railways. In his letter, Kitchener argues that the possibility of extending the British railway system is not only of great strategic importance for the defence of British India, but is also important for maintaining friendly relations with the Amir [Emir] of Afghanistan [Habibullah Khan].Kitchener's letter is followed by two loose folios which repeat word for word the aforementioned draft instructions on Afghanistan and Persia (folios 8 and 9 respectively). Both sets of instructions have the heading 'Secret'.1 file (9 folios)The correspondence in this file is not in chronological order. Following the draft instructions, the most recent letter, which is dated 12 June 1906, appears first, followed by an enclosed letter, which is dated 23 May 1906.Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the first folio, and terminates at the last folio; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
The volume contains records of correspondence (abstracts, lists, copies and originals) concerning relations between Russia and Persia during the period 1837-1875. The papers are as follows:Papers relating to Russian proceedings on the island of Ashoorada [Ashuradeh] covering the years 1837-1854 (but compiled at an unspecified later date):abstract of correspondence covering the years 1837-1854 (folios 1-13);lists of dispatches and correspondence covering the years 1837-1852 (folios 14-21A).Papers relating to Russo-Persian relations, c1860-1862:abstract of a memoir on the general policy of Russia in the East by M. Sawarykielwiez (folios 22-33). The abstract is signed WHB. A note in blue crayon on folio 22 reads '?About 1860';letter from Charles Alison, Tehran to John Russell, Earl Russell, dated 14 June 1862, enclosing a translation of a draft [not transcribed] of a secret treaty between Persia and Russia proposed during the Crimean War (original manuscript copy and two typescript copies) (folios 34-37).Copies of secret dispatches from the British Embassy at St Petersburg to the British Government, dated 1874-1875, relating to Russian activities in Transcaspia and Central Asia, with copies of supporting correspondence (folios 38-146). Many of the dispatches are in French.1 volume (173 folios)The papers are bound in chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at 1 on the first folio after the front cover and terminates at 157 on the back cover. These numbers are written in pencil, are enclosed in a circle, and appear in the top right hand corner of the recto page of each folio. Foliation anomalies: ff. 21, 21A; ff. 74, 74A; ff. 114, 114A; ff. 115, 115A; ff. 116, 116A; ff. 127, 127A; ff. 130, 130A; ff. 131, 131A; ff. 132, 132A; ff. 136, 136A; ff. 137, 137A; ff. 139, 139A; ff. 140, 140A; ff. 141, 141A; ff. 146, 146A; ff. 151, 151A; ff, 152, 152A.
This file consists of a memorandum written by Edwin Samuel Montagu, the Secretary of State for India, describing the situation of Assyrian and Armenian refugees in Mesopotamia.1 file (1 folio)This file consists of a single memorandum.Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 117, and terminates at f 117, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
The volume consists of chronological entries containing transcripts of correspondence sent and received, and notes on the arrival and departure of vessels at Bushire. The Resident during the period covered was William Bruce (acting).The correspondence sent is entered under the date the letter was written; that received is entered under the date of receipt at Bushire. The correspondence is mostly between the Resident and other East India Company officials, particularly the Government of Bombay; the Government of Bengal, Fort William, Calcutta; the Resident at Bussora [Basra] (Samuel Manesty, and deputising for him Lieutenant Edward Hutchins Bellasis and John Law); the Resident at Bagdad [Baghdad] (Harford Jones); the Resident at Muscat (David Seton); and commanders of ships of the Bombay Marine (the East India Company navy) .The records of shipping consist of a note of the day of arrival and departure of ships of the Bombay Marine and country ships (privately-owned merchant ships, which operated under licence from the East India Company), and information on their port of origin and destination. The term 'imported' is used to indicate the arrival of a vessel.General topics covered in the volume include:appointments;piracy;movements of ships;financial and accounting matters;sales of merchandise;relations with Persia;political developments in the region;administrative matters;the transmission of packets of correspondence;the activities of French privateers in the Gulf.Specific topics (dated by date of diary entry) covered in the volume include:the capture of the
Creoleand the fate of the body of the late Resident at Bushire, Mirza Mehedy Alli Khawn [Mīrzā Mahdī ‘Alī Khān], 31 October 1805 (ff. 2v-3r);correspondence between the Government of Bombay and Bruce concerning discrepancies in the audit of the Bushire Residency accounts for the period 1801/02, 13 November 1804 (ff. 3r-4r);the capture by Joasem [Qāsimī] pirates of the British brigs
Shannon and Trimmer(e.g. entries for 6 December 1804 - 12 January 1805, ff. 26r-32v).The volume contains transcribed correspondence from dates earlier than the first diary entry. The earliest such letter is dated 30 November 1803.1 volume (91 folios)The volume is in the form of a diary running in chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume. The correspondence sent is entered under the date the letter was written; that received is entered under the date of receipt at Bushire. Notes of the arrival and departure of vessels are similarly recorded in diary form under the relevant date.Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at 1 on the first folio after the front cover and terminates at 90 on the last folio before the back cover. The numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and appear in the top right hand corner of the recto page of each folio. Foliation anomaly: ff. 1, 1A.Pagination: a pagination sequence numbered 1-176 runs between ff. 2-89. These numbers are written in ink and appear in the top right (recto) or top left (verso) corner of each page. Damage to the edges of the pages has resulted in the loss of some of these numbers. In consequence, the pagination sequence has been duplicated in pencil on each page; these numbers appear in the top centre of each page and are not circled.Condition: the volume has suffered damage to the edges of many of the folios. This has resulted in the loss of some of the pagination numbers (as above) and (particularly between ff. 2-22) the ends of some lines of text; however, the missing text can generally be reconstructed. There are also two holes in the top centre and top right of folios 1-11. These have also occasioned some loss of text, but the sense of the original is generally unaffected.
This file consists of a report which is dated 20 June 1916 and is attributed to Richard Alexander Steel, Military Attaché of the Indian Army. The report concerns British interests in Persia and the recent formation of the South Persia Military Police (abbreviated to SPMP in this file and later known as the South Persia Rifles).The report begins with a brief summary of the events leading up to the present situation, before summarising both the Russian and the British position in Persia. The report describes the circumstances in which the SPMP was formed, and then goes on to provide suggestions for how the force should be organised and distributed. Steel advises that the force embrace the whole of the so-called neutral sphere, and also suggests that it would be 'sheer folly to economize in the number of British officers employed.'The report is followed by two appendices. The first appendix, dated 19 June 1916 and also written by Steel, provides available information regarding the SPMP, including its objectives, details of its personnel, and its financial details (Steel anticipates that half of its expenses will be borne by the Government of India and the other half by the Imperial Government).The second appendix, dated 12 April 1914 and also attributed to Steel, is an abstract of the budget of the Government Gendarmerie, Persia, for 1914-1915. This appendix has two appendices of its own: the first is a summary of Gendarmerie forces as proposed in the preceding budget; the second appendix provides details of the pay of Persian ranks and of the initial cost and upkeep of horses, uniform, equipment and saddlery.A third appendix to the initial report is listed in the contents; however, this appendix has been transferred to another file.1 file (29 folios)The file contains a table of contents at the front of the volume. The main report is followed by two appendices (one of which contains two appendices of its own) which pre-date the report.Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 79, and terminates at f 107, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
The first part of the volume contains correspondence to and from the Political Residency between 1912 and 1927, relating to the costs of providing refuge to slaves seeking manumission, incurred by the Persian Gulf Political Agencies and Consulates. Letters between the Treasury of the Government of India and the Political Residency discuss the annual budget allocated to the suppression of the slave trade, from which dietary expenses, as well as clothing and repatriation expenses, were taken. Amongst the particular issues discussed are the expenses related to increasing numbers of slaves originating from Baluchistan in 1923 as a result of that area’s famine, and the increasing costs of feeding slaves due to rising food costs near the end of the First World War.The second part of the volume comprises correspondence sent between the Residency and Agencies/Consulates between 1910 and 1939 on how to deal with the manumission of slaves. The file includes guidelines for manumission (folios 56-58), created by Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Cox in his capacity as Persian Gulf Political Resident in 1912. Cox’s guidelines were distributed to the Gulf Agencies and Consulates. These guidelines responded to the ambiguities present at the time in determining whether manumission should be given: the date of an individual’s enslavement, where their owner resided, the nature of their servitude (domestic or otherwise). The guidelines outline the authorities (treaties and proclamations) governing the prohibition of the slave trade in the Gulf, and grounds and procedure for manumission. Procedure for manumission varies dependent on whether slaves have come from Persia, the Arab Coast (Kuwait, Bahrain, Trucial Coast, Muscat), and slaves from Persian territory under British protection. Queries over the status of slaves from Persia occupy a significant portion of the remainder of this part of file, due to official Persian policy regarding slaves having changed with Persia’s abolition of slavery in 1928. Also included is a revised set of manumission guidelines drawn up in 1938 (folios 127-29), intended to replace Cox’s earlier rules. These updated guidelines reflect the change in Persia (now Iran’s) policy towards slavery.One volume (149 folios)The volume consists of two previously separate subject files that were bound together at a later date. Each retains its own chronological sequence, running from earliest correspondence and front, to latest and rear, with office notes retained at the rear of second file.Foliation: Volume is foliated from the front cover to last folio with a small number in the top-right corner of each recto. Blank folios have not been foliated.
The file contains correspondence in 1928 and 1930 from the Political Agent, Bahrain and Charles Dalrymple Belgrave (Financial Adviser to the Government of Bahrain) regarding the Bahrain Government’s attitude to Persian subjects resident in Bahrain who, either travel to India on Persian passports only, or wish to apply for naturalisation as Bahraini subjects.The file also contains the following circulars and translations relating to Persian nationality law:Notification dated 1934 from the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, about the procedure to be followed by British residents in Persia, to relinquish their Persian nationality, if they were born in Persia to parents who were either British subjects or British Protected Persons;English translations of the Persian Naturalisation and Nationality Acts, 1894, 1929, 1930;English translation of a circular memorandum dated 1929 from the Persian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the British Legation, Tehran providing a period of grace in which British subjects would be allowed to divest themselves of illegal ownership of Persian land and other property without penalty;French translation of the Persian Agricultural Law 1931, forbidding foreigners to own agricultural land in Persia.1 file (51 folios)File papers are arranged chronologically. They are followed by file notes (folios 50-52) which include a chronological list (folio 50) of the several most recent documents added to the file (folios 42-49), together with their unique document reference number to help identify them. The list also records the folio numbers of the documents, to help locate them in the file. The list records the earlier, secondary foliation number.Foliation: numbered 1-53. The numbering is written in pencil in the top right corner of the folio and encircled. The numbering starts at the front of the file, on the file cover (f 1) and ends on the inside cover at the back of the file (f 53). In the more complete of two earlier and secondary foliation sequences, folios 3 to 43 are also numbered 1 to 41 in pencil in the top right corner of the folio.
The file contains Government of India circular letters, memoranda and notices issued mainly by the Foreign and Political Department. These were sent to the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Bushire who forwarded them to the Political Agent, Bahrain and others. The circulars contain instructions, information and guidance on a wide range of topics. Most circulars are about the staffing and financing of departments and offices of the Government of India. Topics addressed include the following:The grant of an exemption to British consular and political officers stationed in the Persian Gulf, from payment of rent for their accommodation, 1929;Revised regulations regarding the wearing of foreign orders, decorations and medals by both Government of India officers and British subjects, 1930;An instruction to review local expenditure and actively reduce costs as part of a drive for retrenchment of expenditure by all departments and offices of the Government of India, 1930;Notice of a new declaration to be made to Persian Customs by foreign travellers and pilgrims entering Persia, about the amount of foreign money in their possession, under a new Persian Foreign Exchange Law, 1931.There are also several circulars in the file that communicate official British foreign policy in other parts of the world during periods of disturbance, so that British officials elsewhere would be able to counteract any inaccurate reports in circulation. Included are circulars about British occupied Palestine in 1928-1929, as follows:Printed circular memoranda from the Colonial Office, London, 1928, entitled ‘The Western or Wailing Wall in Jerusalem’, ‘Disturbances in Palestine’ and ‘Arming of Jews’;Circular telegram from the British High Commissioner, Jerusalem, 1929, about the reaction of the Arab population in Jerusalem to his instructions temporarily regulating religious observance at the wailing or western wall , pending a British Government enquiry into the existing rights of Muslims and Jews.1 file (185 folios)File papers are arranged chronologically. They are followed by file notes (folios 184-188), which include a chronological list of documents in the file dated 1938 onwards (folios 109-182), together with their unique document reference numbers to help identify them. The list also records the folio number and a simple reference number from 37 to 65 that has been written on many documents, usually the circulation slips, in red or blue crayon and encircled, to help locate them in the file.Foliation is written in pencil in the top right corner of the recto of each folio. It begins on the second folio, on number 1, and ends on the inside of the back cover, on number 189. Some of the parts of the file have been paginated, which means that there are a number of folio numbers missing from the sequence. Foliation omissions: f 7, f 11, f 13, f 15, ff 76-77, ff 166-169. Foliation errors: f 3 is followed by f 3A, f 123 is followed by ff 123A-C. Folio 94 is folded.
The file concerns Persian claims to Bahrain (also spelled Bahrein).The correspondence is mainly between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and the Political Agent, Bahrain. Other correspondents include the British Consular Agent, Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh], and the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain (Charles Dalrymple Belgrave). Enclosures to correspondence from the Political Resident include copies of correspondence from senior officials in the Foreign Office, the Government of India, the Colonial Office and the India Office, and other British officials in the region, including HBM's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of Persia, Tehran (Sir Percy Lyham Loraine), the High Commissioner, Baghdad (Major-General Sir Percy Zachariah Cox), and the Consul at Shiraz (Herbert George Chick).The main topics covered in the papers are:reports by the Political Agent and Political Resident;discussion of the issue by the British Government and Government of India;the nature of the claims made by the Persian Government and the question of the British response to those claims;the issuing by the Persian authorities of passports and passes (
Ilm-o-Khabar) for Bahrain as though it were an inland port of Persia;use of British certificates of identity;anti-British agitation in Bahrain and support for a return to Persian rule;the need for the British Passport Office to make it clear to persons wishing to travel to Bahrain that they did not need a visa from the Persian Legation, London (folios 24-26);support for the Persian claim to Bahrain in the Persian press;proposal to give Bahrain the right to return a member to the Persian Madjliss [majlis] (folio 52);the question of British jurisdiction in Bahrain over foreigners;the history of Persian claims to sovereignty over Bahrain, including analysis of records held by the Government of India;attitude of the Bahrain ruling family;the treatment of Bahraini subjects in Persia, and the question of the protection of their interests by the British.The Arabic and Persian language content of the file consists of approximately ten letters, newspaper cuttings and associated items.1 volume (341 folios)The papers are filed in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file, except where enclosures of an earlier date are filed after the relevant covering letter.Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover and terminates at the back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 100-111; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence. A third foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 7-116; these numbers are written in blue crayon, are circled, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence.A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
This document describes an interview between Brigadier-General MacLean and the Shah of Persia [Iran] at Brighton in 1889. The discussion centres on whether Hashtadun [Hashtadan] belongs to Persia or Afghanistan. The division of old water canals between the countries is suggested as a compromise which may settle the dispute.Please note that Major-General Charles Smith Maclean is mistakenly referred to as Brigadier-General J Maclean in the document.1 folioFoliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences and terminates at f 14 as it is part of a larger physical volume; this number is written in pencil, is circled, and is located in the top right corner of the recto side of the folio.
The memorandum provides a brief outline of the development of the 'half and half arrangement'; the principle by which British expenditure in Persia was divided between the British (UK) and British Indian Exchequers. It notes situations where the question of this division has emerged between 1901 and 1914.At the front of the memorandum (folio 144) is a covering letter dated 21 June 1916 from Sir Arthur Hirtzel, Political Department, India Office, addressed to Sir Thomas William Holderness, Permanent Under-Secretary of State for India.The author of the memorandum is H W Garrett.1 file (6 folios)Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at f 144, and terminates at f 149, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the bottom right corner of the recto side of each folio.