Rare confidential report. Rare 'Strictly confidential' government report, not for sale, on the Hindu Kush, occasioned by the enduring rivalry between Great Britain and Russia in Central Asia. Both OCLC and Library Hub (formerly COPAC) lists just 2 locations, BL and Wellcome Library. Only a handful of copies would have been produced for the use of Government departments and agencies. The book is listed in Yakushi but the lack of detail indicates that he might not have seen a copy. A printed note to the front pastedown states 'To be kept under lock and key, and to be returned to the India Office when no longer required'. There is no list of plates but our copy accords with that of the Wellcome Library copy available online. BL state 110 illustrations including maps. Both the Wellcome and BL copies have an extra folding map not present in our copy.

The Lockhart Mission was an exploratory mission sanctioned in 1885 by the Secretary of State for India and headed by Sir William Alexander Lockhart to survey the Hindu Kush ranges and endeavour to cultivate friendly relations between the Mehtar of Chitral and the Government of India. The mission (1885–1886) yielded much success and set the course for the region for many decades to come.

'Lockhart had been working as DQMG responsible for Indian Army Intelligence. He was appointed "to lead a political and reconnaissance mission to Gilgit, Chitral and Kafiristan in 1885, to establish relations with the Chitral ruler Aman ul Mulk, and to survey the territory and assess potential northern invasion routes into India... Starting from Kashmir on 25 June 1885, Lockhart's party consisted of a surgeon and two other officers." One of these was R.G. Woodthorpe of the Intelligence Dept, and the other was a photographer. The group were escorted by a Sikh company, a few servants and some 200 porters. "The party crossed the Kamri Pass some 13,000 feet above sea level. Lockhart halted at Gilgit on 29 June due to swollen mountain rivers. Resuming on 8 August, the party crossed the Shandur Pass at 12,000 feet, eventually reaching Chitral on 11 September. Lockhart concluded an agreement of sorts with the Mehtar and his party observed the Dorah and Zedek Passes, both over 14,800 feet. It also penetrated into Kafiristan, probably to forestall its exploration by a civilian traveller, Ney Elias, who was also active in the region. Apart from the survey work covering some 12,000 square miles, the mission also collected flora and fauna. Having seen all the main routes from the north, Lockhart assessed that the Pamirs could be crossed in summer but not on a large scale - although even a small Russian force could cause a great deal of political mischief - and that the Chitralis could hold the passes long enough for British troops to assist them. He proposed a permanent British mission at Gilgit..."

Lord Dufferin was delighted with Lockhart's efforts and the report; it subsequently affected British North West Frontier policy considerably and explains why the British ever after considered Chitral of such strategic importance along with keeping the Chitralis as British allies. The book`s photographs are the earliest taken of the Gilgit - Chitral - Hunza section of the Himalayas' (Ian Beckett in Forgotten Victorian Generals, page 46).


First edition. 4to, iv, 448 pp., title stamped 'Strictly Confidential' in red, 105 photographic plates by Surgeon Giles, 3 full-page line drawings, 2 (of 3?) folding maps in pocket at end, illustrations in text, foxing to frontispiece and title, and occasionally to other plates (mainly marginal), a few pages towards end slightly dog-eared, stamp of British Council Peshawar to title, original brown cloth gilt, some light discolouration, neat repairs to extremities, a good copy.

Yakushi L267.