IOR/L/PS/7/47 ff.723-730

Description

Scope and content : Despatch from the Government of India, Foreign Department (Frontier) to the Secretary, Political and Secret Department, India Office, dated Simla 7 July 1886, forwarding for the attention of the Secretary of State for India, Herat Newsletters Nos. 54 and 55, dated 19 and 23 May 1886 respectively, written by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, British Newswriter at Herat.No. 55 reports on the issuing of passports to travellers: 'Hitherto passports were issued on a piece of paper by the Kotwali to travellers going to Meshed and Maimena. Travellers before starting on this journey had to be sent, if necessary, to the Governor for the time being, who sealed the passports, and then they were at liberty to go. But now printed passes have been received from Kabul, which are issued to each traveller on payment of 10 'Puls,' equivalent to 2 and a half annas or 100 'Dinars.' ... Probably some 14 thousand passports will be issued to travellers going in different directions.' Also notes work on fortifications: 'The work of building the new Burj-i-Khakistar, Godam Nau, and Takhta-pul Ark-i-nau and of destroying the Irak gate still continues. The new Burj-i-Khakistar has been completed up to the top, and places are now being built for mounting guns upon it.'