Page 107 - PERSIAN 1 1873_1879 Admin Report1_Neat

AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 1874-75. 5
and difficult route via Shiraz to Bush ire, seems to he as far off inception
as ever. A small river steam-boat plies for some distance up the river,
but does not pay very well as the traffic is purely local.
In Behbeban, Deshtestan, Congoon, Charek, Maghoo, and Bunder
Abbass nothing worthy of note has occurred. Lingah has a new Gov­
ernor in the young AH bin Kbaleefa, son of the late Chief Sheikh Kha-
leefa, who died last October. Too young to take much on himself, he
is necessarily guided by the advice of his father's councillors. Every­
thing has gone on satisfactorily at the British station of Bassidore on the
Island of Kiskm where Assistant Surgeon Abdool Raheern still resides.
The health of the infantry detachment quartered there has been good.
A coal depot is maintained, and Government vessels occasionally call to
replenish stock.

Town and district of Bashire.
The town and district still remain under the charge of Prince Assad-
Oollah Mirza, who is subordinate to the Governor-General of Fars. To­
wards the close of 1874 serious apprehensions were entertained owing to
the unusual drought that famine would again make its appearance, and
the Persian authorities at once imposed an interdict on the exportation of
grain. Fortunately, however, rain came at last and all fears of scarcity-
have been allayed. During* the summer the Governor repaired to the
cooler climate of Shiraz, and the duties of his office were conducted
during his absence by his son. In January Prince Assad-Oollah Mirza
proceeded into the district on his annual tour to collect revenue.
The relations of the Residency with the Prince both officially and
socially have been most satisfactory, and his co-operation and support
when necessary can always be relied on.
At Busliire, as well as at other large towns, a “ Box of Justice" for
the reception of petitions from all classes of the people has been
established. The petitions deposited in it being transmitted direct to
the Shah. It remains to be seen whether the results of this well meaut
measure will be eventually satisfactory.
A still more popular measure adopted by the Shah's command at
Bush ire was the abolition of octroi duty on fruit and vegetables at
Bushire.
Postal,
Postal arrangements are generally satisfactory, but the establish­
ment of a Post Office at Bahrein seems advisable. The mail steamers
calling there only once a month has been found inconvenient. A weekly-
mail service has now been working for some time at most of the
Gulf ports, and the increased facilities thereby afforded for correspond­
ence are duly appreciated.

Slave-trade.
There is no reason to doubt that the humane exertions of Govern­
ment towards the suppression of slave traffic have been attended with
satisfactory results. Towards the close of 1874 a vessel carrying eight
or ten slaves destined for one of the Persian Gulf ports was reported to