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the lino of the Koshghan rivor to Khurromabad. Of this road along which I havo also
travollcd I can only say that the passos aro not less diflicult than thoso on tho Bushiro-
Shiraz line; that thcro is not a singlo villago botwcon tho plains of Dizful and tho
0p«,n oountry of Khurramabad, a distanco of at least 150 miles, and that the tribes, moreover, of
tho loeser Luristan, which command tho entire transit, aro among tho most lawless and savage
of all the Persian mountninoors. Caravans do certainly at intervals pass by this lino from the
low country of Susiana to tho Upper Persian plateau, hut they pay a heavy blackmail for the
right of passago, and aro obliged, moreover, to carry all their provisions with them. And it
must bo addou that tho distaneo from Shuster to Teheran vid Khurramabad and Hamadan can
bo vory little less than that to tho saino place from Buehiro vid Shiraz and Ispahan, while,
with regard to Ispahan itself, which sooms to bo tho great centre of mercantile attraction, tho
direct routo along tho present high road through Shiraz is in ovory respect prcferablo to tho
eirouitous tract by Shuster and Khurramabad.
I am strongly, therefore, of opinion that the whole question of ** opening up tho Karan n
is a delusion and a snare. The Karun, in tho first place, cannot bo opened up; and in tho
second placo, if it oould, it would yield no advantages to British commorco in regard to placing
our merchants in Persia more on an equality with those of Russia. What is required in tho
interests of our trado with Persia is tho construction of a good metalled road ovor the passos,
and, if possiblo, along the entiro line to Ispahan. If tho Zil-us-Sultan would undertake this
work and aid us in establishing a wheeled traffic upon the lino, ho would have far better earned
a titlo to tho G.C.S.I., than by obtaining for U6 empty right of navigating tho unnavigablo
Karun.

Note by Sir O. St. John, dated London, tbe 20th October 1882.
Two such authorities as Sir Henry Rawlinson and Mr. Walter Baring holding such differ­
ent views as regards the Karun route, I trust I may not be considered presumptuous in differ­
ing from both.
The first point is the uso and practicability of oponing tbe Karun river to steam naviga­
tion from the sea to Shuster by removing or turning tho natural dam of rocks at Ahwaz. Tho
most material evidence as to the practicability is contained in tbe report by Captain Wells,
R. E., who visited Ahwaz with Mr. Baring. From this report, and the carefully detailed
drawing attached to it,* I am led to the conclusion, in which it would appear Captain Wells
concurs, that both Sir Henry Rawlinson and Mr. Baring over-estimate the difficulty of
opening a navigable channel. The total length of the rapids is no more than one mile, and
the fall in the length 8 to 10 feet only. Captain Wells considers that it would be easier and
cheaper to dig a canal from a point above to a point below the rapids, and he gives tho length
of such a canal at 2,850 yards, with a maximum depth of 35 feet below tho present level of
tbe soil. This does not 6ccm a very formidable undertaking, if the rock, as I understand, be
soft sandstone ; and looks of sufficient capacity for 6mall river steamers, say 100 feet by 20
(two would be required), are not expensive works. Moroover, I am not at all satisfied that it
would not be easier and cheaper to make a navigable chaunol in tbe river itself j for it seems
to me that the assumption, that the removal tof so much of the natural weirs of rock as to
make navigation possible would materially lower tbe lovel of the water above, is rather a hasty
one. However, I would suggest that Captain Wells’ plan and report be submitted to a
competent bydraulio engineer for an opinion and rough estimate of tho probable expense of
making the present channel navigable for small river steamers, or of digging a new one.
This would clear tbe way for the second point in dispute, which is the feasibility of opening a
practicable commeroial route between Shuster and Ispahan or Teheran, supposing the Karun
opened to navigation as far as the first-named town.
Both Sir Henry. Rawlinson and Mr. Baring, looking to tho establishment of a road for
wheeled traffic, consider tho direct route over the hills to Ispahan to bo impracticable. Mr.
Baring advocates one or other of tho roads through Khurramabad to Teheran, while Sir Henry
Rawlinson considers even these as bad or as long as the present highway from Bushire, through
Shiraz, to the improvement of which, so as to fit it for wheeled traffic, ho would devote all
available energy. Now I venture to d< ubt the use of spending money in making carriage
roads in a country like Persia, for which, I think, it can be shown that there is no useful vid
media between a Jigbt railway and a mule-path. Parts of Spain and tbe wholo west coast of
South America are examples iu point. Carts were latterly largely used in Southern Afghan­
istan for military transport; but as regards original outlay, time taken in transport, and
proportion of forage and food consumed per ton convoyed, they were less economical than
camels. In foot, it was only the absoluto impossibility of obtaining camels that necessitated
the use of carts.
I know the roads from Bushire to Shiraz well, and I should estimato the ooat of making
a good cart-road by any of them at no less than 1,0001. a mile, or nearly 200,000/. for the
wholo distance, and ovon supposing the cart-road made, wbero are the carts, drivers, bullocks,
^ Q*i^,]SCi*r° D°* *uc^u^°^ file, but I luvo boon allowed to *co tbom in tho ludo-fturupcaa Telegraph Ohio*.