Page 223 - PERSIAN 2 1879_1883

residency and muscat political agency for 1880-81. 53

induce the steamers running under tho auspices of Messrs. Jones, Price
& Co. to make Marseilles a port of call.
It is also projected to start a lino of French steamers from Mar­
seilles to the Persian Gulf and Busrah, which will at the outset bo in
counection with the Bombay and Persian Navigation Company.
Barge quantities of mothcr-o'-pcarl shells continue to be sent to
the London and French markets from Lingah, but the competition
renders the traffic less remunerative than at first.
There has been an introduction of tea fiom'Java into Persia, which
is said to find much favor. In former times Persia received tea through
India from China, and supplied Russia. Later, owing to prohibitions,
Russia commenced to supply Persia with tea brought overland from
China into Russia. The Indian teas seems little knowu in Persia
hitherto.
Exports of cotton and other ordinary produce from Persia have
decreased owing to drought.
An exception is opium, the increased production of which in Persia
has attracted attention. This production is highly profitable, as a rule,
to the growers, and therefore popular amongst them. During the panic
caused by the recent continued drought, aery was raised by the populace
in some towns against the cultivation of poppy, and in a few instances
poppy fields were ploughed up and wheat sown instead. The gradual
increase in this trade during the past ten years is shown in the following
table of exportation from Bushirc and Bunder Abbas:—

Tear. C*sc*. Valu la Raptet.
1871-72 870 6,00,000
*1872-73 1,400 11,20,000
1S73-74 2,000 16,00,000
1874- 75 2,030 16.24.000
1875- 76 1,890 17.01.000
1876- 77 2.570 23.13.000
1877- 78 4,730 47.30.000
1878- 79 5,900 69.00. 000
1879- 80 • •• 6,100 61.00. 000
1880- 81 • •• 7.700 84.70.000
Mow far the cultivation is capable of further extension is a question
0 |mportance. The limit is thought not to have been reached, bat it is
pro lable that natural disadvantages will prevent such an extension as
"ould seriously affect India.

(Sd.) R a Boss.

... i The poppy crops of the season of 1881 have been eeri-
LpahaQ11113**6^ *D districts# and to a less extent i& those of