Page 247 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

AND THE MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 10Q7-1008. G3
now dry beds, while many springs which generally last till the heat of summer
aro also dry or at best have hut a small trichic, fortunately rain fell at the
proper seasons for the crops of 1908 and thus no great harm has been done
beyond that, owing to the warm winter, there is hardly any ice stored for next
summer.
The crops woro very good and the price of wheat varied from 8 tomans
before the reaping to 35 brans the kharwar after it, while at the present time
it can he bought, in Guran for 20 kians, hut would not pay to bring in : barley
fell to 14 krans the kharwar. 1 bought it this year at 20 krans while the
previous year 1 had paid 00 krans, though arriving late and buying at the
wrong season.
The revenue of the Kermanshanan Province is as follows :—■
Cash.
Tomans.
Kermansbah and Sanghur . 10.w,084$
Selina and Kangawar 4,580
Asadabad 4,GOO
Total . 117,204$
Grain.
KhHTwnra.
Kermanshah and Sangbur 9,180
Sehna and Kangawar 537
Asadabad . • 1,600
Total 11,317
Straw.
Kharwars.
Kermansbah and Sangbur only 2,513
Owing to the disturbed condition of the country the Government has been
unable to recover hut little of the above. The revenues of Kermanshahan are
mainly used up in pensions to Shnhzadas, to Mullahs of Kermanshahan and
Nejef, and in the pny of the four regiments and contingents of sowars.
The following figures will prove the truth of my contention that British Trad0,
trade on the Kermanshah route is far from being in a moribund condition,
indeed that it only needs fostering to swamp the market. British goods have
the best name of any except in goods of a turkey red ground where the dye is
not fast.
1905-1906. 1906-1907. 1907-1908.
£ £ £
Total Imports 745,674 1,014,33G 1,240,445
From United Kingdom . 507,335 725,321 933,075
From India . . . 71,855 8G.202 156,294
'While these figures ore very satisfactory they are not absolutely correct:
they show rather the country from which the goods have been ordered than the
actual country of origin and I regret to say that much which comes through
Bombay agents and which is shown as either from the United Kingdom or
India has in reality its origin iu a foreign country ; this applies more especi­
ally to woollen goods. I am attempting to get merchants to dial direct and thus
avoid this condition of affairs; for this, however, I must reside in Hamadan
for some time and i propose doing so this summer if the state of the country
peimits. 1 am indcod inclined to think that Bis Britannic Majesty’s Consul,
Kermanshah, should spend at least four months, if not six months, of the \ eav
at that place ; tho two towns are so near each other that if liis presenco were
required in the other at any time it would he very easy to make the necessary
visit. I have also held tho opinion that the Imperial Bank of Persia should
reverse its present system and should have its branch « flicc at. Hnmadnn with
an Agent at Kermanshah. Both Mr. Messervy, the Inspector, who lately visited
Kenuan8hah and the present manager aro in agreement with this idea and tho
lattef asked me to go into it with tho heads of tho Bank should 1 visit Tehran
as 1 intended. The reasr n for this is obvious ; Kormanshah has not one-fifth
the trade of HamadnD, which is tho distributing contro for Koith-'Wcst Pcisia,
and the Kermanshah merchants and hankers arc really, with rare exceptions,
but agents for the Baghdad or tho Hamadan wholesale importers.
a