Abstract: The volume, written by Valentine Chirol and printed in London by John Murray in 1903, is based on a series of letters written by Chirol during a journey through Persia and the Persian Guf, that appeared in
The Timesin 1902 and 1903.The main topics are: the concept of 'Middle East'; the Baghdad Railway; the British role in the Persian Gulf; the Russian influence over Persia; the border of Afghanistan; the North-East Frontier of India, and Tibet. An appendix at the back of the volume contains copies of international treaties, and documents in French on the Baghdad Railway.The volume contains numerous illustrations and three maps:'Sketch Map of the Borderlands of India';'Sketch Map of Asia showing railway expansion';'Sketch map of Persia and adjoining countries'.Physical description: The foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover, and terminates at the inside 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. The volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.