Abstract: This file is comprised of a range of material compiled by George Nathaniel Curzon, mainly concerning matters relating to Persia but also relating to other areas in south Asia. It includes the following:Three copies of an official memorandum by Curzon (writing as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs), entitled 'Memorandum on the Persian Situation', dated 17 April 1896 and concerning British policy in Persia, including the actions to be taken in the event of the death of the present Shah of Persia (ff 3-10)Curzon's copies of official correspondence forwarded to the Marquess of Salisbury (Prime Minister Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil) by Sir Philip Currie, British Ambassador in Constantinople, which includes enclosed letters from British representatives reporting on the condition of Nestorians living in Ottoman Turkey (ff 17-21)Three maps, two of which depict Chitral and the surrounding area, while the third shows the recently delimited boundary between Russian and Afghan territories (ff 26-28)A selection of newspaper cuttings containing articles relating to Persia, dating from 1889-1898 (ff 30-39)A copy of an edition of the
Journal of the Society of Arts, dated 16 February 1894 (ff 48-73)A copy of the following booklet:
Perzie. Overzicht van in de Nederlandsche taal uitegeven werken, gevolgd door een opgave van de voornaamste buitenlandsche schrijvers(an overview of works on Persia published in the Dutch language), by A Hotz, dated January 1897 (ff 74-99)A photograph of General Amenkoff (f 100)The material in the file ranges in date from 1889 to 1923; however, most of the material dates from between 1891 and 1898.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 101; these numbers are written in pencil and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
Abstract: The letter outlines the opinion of the India Office that no negotiations should be opened with the Turkish authorities over more clearly defined areas of jurisdiction and responsibility for the two powers along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf. It is argued that Britain should maintain their commitments to the Trucial chiefs and the rulers of Bahrein [Bahrain] and Muscat, along with their security responsibilities on the Gulf seas, and if the Ottoman Turks do not impinge on these arrangements little communication with the Porte is deemed necessary. The argument is supported by an overview and discussion of the current situation in the region.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation for this description commences at folio 145 and terminates at folio 147, 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. The main foliation sequence 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.Pagination: The volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.Condition: folio 145 is torn along one edge, with the loss of some text.