Page 77 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

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170. The Shah’s Government had full permission to the Shu shan’s
sailing to Rizfnl as well as Shuster, but
E., Auguot 1891. No*. 132-137, *nil No*.
102-105. tho local authorities found means to
evado the. orders in various ways. The Lynch Company desired in June 1801
to send the steamer up the Ah-i-Diz, as far as she could go, in order to estab­
lish her risrht of passage, since she was accepted by the Shah for the purpose
of navigating the three tributaries of the Upper Karun, the Shateit, the Gargar
and Ab-i-Diz. The move proposed up the last river was, however, objected to
by the Governor, though the Susa had already proceeded up the river.
171. As regards the matiagc?ncnt of the steamer’s navigation, the Company
Secret k.. July i89o. Nos. 325-351 (No. 3i7). proposed to appoiutan European Captain
and October 18'j0, No*. 1-2S (No*. 11-12). and Engineer, whose salaries amounting
to about 500 krans a month should be paid by the Persian Government. The
navigation of the Upper Karun is a very difficult process, and a steamer like
the Shushan could not he entrusted on this river to natives. The Persian Gov­
ernment considered the estimate of the cost of management framed by the Com­
pany was too high and proposed reduction. The Company could not see their
way to any reduction without exposing the steamer to frequent risks of being
wrecked. It was then decided by the Persian Government to let the Lynch
Company manage tho alTair for three months on trial. This arrangement,
howevor, still continues: the Company worked for many years at a loss, which
has not yet been reimbursed aud may possibly never.
172. The construction of a tramway at tho Ahwaz rapids was very import­
ant for facilitating a rapid transport of
Secret E.. March 1891, No*. S5-GC (No. 3C).
goods from one ship to the other. Put
the Persian authorities wero in no mood to allow the Lynch Company the con­
cession for constructing it, uliieh they would have done in a short period.
The Persians preferred to grant it to a native compauy, the Nasseri, who
took nearly two years to complete tho work. Then the fares fixed by the
Nasseri Company were by no means small, and were, as told us by Mr. Cbirol,
prevented from being made prohibitive only by the competition of the old
mule carriage, which the Persians have tried, hitherto unsuccessfully, to defeat
by intimidating the muleteers.
173. As regards barges, permission was given by Amin-es-Sultan to the
s«c,.t e.. j.ou.r, isoo.Nos. 03-7.. Company to low two barges, but the Ear-
guzar interpreted the permission to cover
only native wooden boats, and objected to the Company mooring off Mobammerah
an iron barge, which they had built for use on the Upper Karun. The obstruc­
tive Karguzar also argued that the word
External A., February 1890, No*. 278-232.
“ dubbah ” was used in the telegram con­
veying tho permission, which meant a sailing vessel, not a barge. The matter
was settled in the Company’s favour only after reference to Teheran.
(vi.)—Rival enterprises and intrigues of the Sheikh of Mohammerah.
174. The Karun Pegulations were so framed as to allow much scope, for
not only vexatious interference with foreign enterprises, but for the benefit of
native enterprises. It was only the Persians that were allowed by them to
build wharves, warehouses and other buildings required for carrying on trade on
the river, and the native shipping companies were not placod under any restric­
tions. Amin-es-Sultan and Nizam-os-Sultaneh accordingly began to interest
themselves in a movemeut set on foot by
Secret E.i August 1891, Nos. 13S-141.
one Moyun-i-Tujjar, a Persian merchant of
Bushire, to form a company, as a rival of the British Company, which was (1)
to run a steamer of their own from Mobammerah to Ahwaz, (2) run the Susa
from Ahwaz to Shushter, (3) to construct the tramway at tho Ahwaz rapids, (4)
to erect wharves, warehouses, etc., at Ahwaz (Bunder-i-Naseri) and other places.
In this moveireut they succeeded in drawiug the Sheikh of Mobammerah,
and his influence was fully—though secretly—wielded to draw tho traffic from
the hands of the Lynch Co., to their own steamers of which they had three.
The Sheikh went further in pursuing a policy of boycotting the British Com­
pany by preventing coolies to work for them and by making provisions
scarce : his influence over the Arab tribes along tho Karun was so great, that
thoso who rendered any assistance to the British Company wero sure to come
into trouble.
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