CHAPTER 1I

THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE FRONTIER: BALUCHISTAN

STATISTICS. —Baluchistan is a state feudatory to India, lying between 25° and 32°
N. lat., and between 61° and 70° E. long. It is about 550 miles in length,
with an average breadth of 450 miles. Area about 130.000 square miles,
population about 500,000.
The province of Baluchistan includes: (1) Independent Baluchistan ; (2)
Quetta and the Bolan administered by the British Government ; (3) British
Baluchistan.
The chief towns are Kaldt, Quetta, Kozdar, Bela, Kalatak, Bagh, Gandava,
 and Didar. The leading chief is the Khan of Kaldt, Mir Mahmud
Khan, who succeeded his father in 1893.
The treaty of 1876, effected between Sir R. Sandeman and the chiefs of
Baluchistan, renewed the treaty of 1854, which established an alliance offensive
 and defensive; and it recognised the status of the Sirdars or minor
chiefs, making the British Government arbitrator in disputes between them
and the Khan. British troops were then located in the Khan’s territory ;
Quetta was built, telegraphs and railways were commenced, and a subsidy
of Rs.100,000 per annum granted to the Khan.
British Baluchistan was incorporated with British India by a resolution
of November 1, 1887, and divided into two districts : (1) Quetta-Peshin;
‘2) Tal-Chotidli, and the political agents of these districts became Deputy-Commissioners
 with a regular staff,
The Khan’s revenue includes Rs.100,000 per annum subsidy from the
Indian Government; Rs.25,000 quit-rent from the Quetta district, and a
share in the agricultural produce of Independent Baluchistan, which in a
good year may equal Rs.500,000.
The agricultural produce of the country generally is small, but is largely
increasing in Peshin and Zhob. The rainfall is scanty. Baluchistan is
largely a grazing country—chiefly sheep and camels.
The chief exports are wool, hides, madder, dried fruit, tobacco, and dates.
The value of the trade is roughly as follows :—

Imports.
In 1899 Las Bela Rx.60,300
Kalat Rx.70,000

rl

Exports.
Rx.26, 500
Rx.50,%00

Rx. = 10 Rupees.

For purposes of description it will be convenient to
recognise the accepted definition supplied by the map
or atlas sheet, and to adhere to the geographical boun-