Page 210 - PERSIAN 3 1883_1890

4r2 ADMINISTRATION BEPORT OP THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL

thought that the more general uso of refined loaf sugar indicatco improvement in the condition
of the population of Persia.
The most cursory perusal of the trade reports of this Residency for the past ten years or so
will show that in that period there has Icon a very remarkable increase of Iho trade of South
Si Persia generally. The total valuo of the Bushire trade appears to have about doubled, or in
rongh numbers risen from ten to twenty millions of rupees. The trado of tho second sca-
port, Bunder Abbass, has increased in round numbers from three to eight millions of
rupees.
Tlie customs revenues of Busliire were farmed out in 1884 for lcrans 800,000, being
doable the amount realized ten years back. The customs revenues of Bunder Albass were
1884 for kran.* 701,500, showing a similar increase. The customs lease of Lingah bos
cn raised in the same period from 05,000 to 160,000 krans.
European firms.—In former times one European firm (English) only did business in
Bushire. Now there are two English firms aud oue Dutch firm, with agents and branches in
entral Persia and at Basra. Several British mercantile houses also do extensive business
through native agents at Bushire and other places in Persia.
Steamer*.—The British Iuaia Steam Navigation Company's steamers run weekly from
Bombay carrying mail* under contract, aud the Bombay-Persian Steam Navigation Company
run vessels about monthly between Bombay and Bushire-Basra. Two lines of direct
steamers between England aud the Persian Gulf are now working, one English and one French.
Many special steamers are usually chartered. During 1384 fewer than usual were taken up,
owing to short harvests in Mesopotamia. The French steamers are heavily subsidized by the
Government of France, and this lowers freights to the detriment of British shipping. At the
s^me tine, it is to be remarked that these French steamers carry almost exclusively English
cargo, acd the lowering of freigbls results in benefit to British manufacturers and consumers.
The classes to suffer by the system are therefore British aud other shipowners and French tax­
payers.
Dutch Commercial Treaty.—The Duteh-Persiau commercial treaty hasuot, so far as known,
been yet ratified.
Doties, ^c.—Owing to the steady friendly pressure brought to bear on tee Shall by the
British Minister, the subject of improving the trade routes iu South Persia has been atla6t favour­
ably entertained and seriously taken up. A cart or caravan road is to be opened from Dizful by
Eboramabad to connect Mobammerah aud Teheran. Other schemes, sach as improving the
communication from Bushire to Shiraz, by opening the Firozubad road to traffic, have been
mooted. It is not without significance that such ideas are seriously discussed by Persian
authorities and merchants.
Naphtha springs,—The Dutch firm of Hotz and Son has obtained the concession to work
the petroleum or naphtha springs of Daliki, and borings have been mode. The quality and
quantity of oil obtainable is not yet known.
The customs of all Persia have of late been farmed from the Shah by the Ameen-es-Sulton
who places agents at the principal towns. This system has led to a conflict of interests be­
tween tie administrative authorities of Fars and the customs authorities. Foreign merchants
are sufferers from this clash, and their operations at small ports of wheat-growing districts are
hampered and obstructed. The head of the customs houses insists on levying 5 per cent, duty on
all grain exported from Bushire, and declines to ackuowledge receipts for duty levied at outporU.
The petty chiefs of those ports, however, aud the Government of Fare, ore naturally intent on
continuing the levy of duty, in some form or other, at the outports, and although strict
orders are said to be issued that such duty is not to be levied, various indirect means and
devices are resorted to, and the British merchants are still subjected to a double tax on produce
purchased at Reeg, Deelam, &e.
Petri fishing.~The pearl diving was productive in 1884. An attempt was made to
obtain pearls on the Persian coast by employing European divers, but the result wai not
encouraging.
The year 1885 opened more hopefully for trade, there being fair demand for all classes of
goods, and the harvest prospects being very good.
The anticipations of an abundant harvest of wheat and barley in Southern Persia have not
been realised. In all the districts the crops, more especially wheat, have been greatly injured
by rust; ia some districts the wheat has been almost entirely spoilt, snd the quality of groin
is turning out inferior. The quantity harvested will probably be about the same as last year