Page 425 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 1900. 15

seizure of the Customs and the expulsion of the Belgians. He also ordered
the Persian Postmaster to change his office designation and rubber stamps
to “ Nationalist Post Office Laristan ” and to cease using the Shah’s stamps.
Letters coming from Lar now were stamped with a new stamp of the Seyyid’s
design.
It was not however until news reached Lingah, on 25th March, of the
seizure of the Customs by the Nationalist element at Bushire and Bandar
Abbas, that the populace came to the scratch and followed suit. The Deputy
Governor was however re-appointed on behalf of the Nationalists, while the
Armenian in charge of the Customs took sanctuary at the British Agency
after handing over his charge. During all this period Lingah was visited
frequently by H. M.’s ships, the “ Redbreast”, “ Fox” and “ Sphinx ” and the
R.I.M.S. “Lawrence”, all calling at frequent intervals during March and
April. These visits were a source of relief to the peaceable inhabitants, and
valuable both as a deterrent to the lawless element and as a means of quick
communication.
The condition of Lingah remained very abnormal and restless for the
remainder of the year owing to the frequent reports of fighting and rapine in
the hinterland, but the period passed without any active trouble. Bustak
however was the scene of disturbance for some time, in October and Novem­
ber, the Seyyid’s lieutenant, Ghulam Husein Khan Varawi, and his Turake-
raeh followers having sacked the place and driven out the Sowlet-el-Mulkv the
hereditary Governor and adherent of the Kawamis. Ghulam Husein set up
the Sowlet’s son as Governor, and left with the spoil, but the latter could not
long maintain his position and the father eventually got back, the son,
Muhammad Vali Khan, migrating to Lingah.
The Nationalist disturbances in the Gulf Ports, including the seizure of
the Customs, combined with the situa­
Commerce.
tion in Shiraz and on the Trade Routes
throughout the year, naturally had a dire effect on the volume of trade pass­
ing through Bushire.
In fact, during the first five months of the year, the forwarding of goods
up-country from Bushire practically ceased, and the Kazerun route remained
closed to caravan traffic throughout the whole period under report, the veil
being only lifted momentarily in July by the passage of a small force of fifty
men sent up eraergently from Bushire to reinforce the Shiraz Consulate
which was thought to be*in danger of attack.
A few caravans, as opportunity offered did, it is true, pass up and down
the Firuzabad route under the auspices of the Sowlet-ed-Dowleh, Ilkhani of
the Kashgais, but nearly all the Bushire import traffic was diverted to the
Ahwaz-Ispahan road.
The statistics for the year 21st March 1909 to 21st March 1910 were as
follows:—
Imports £717,091
Export* £100,892
showing a falling off amounting to £376,374 on the imports and £31,704 on
the exports of the year before. Details will be found in the Trade Report
Four steamers of the Odessa Line called during the year. Monsieur
de Mishtolt continued in the Agency but
Foreign competition.
his post must have been a sinecure.
Imports consisting only of glass-ware and earthen-ware tea-pots together
with 101 tins kerosine. The principle business of the Company is with
Basrah, but nothing appears to be done to push Russian trade. It is under­
stood that the Duma were opposed to the renewal of the contract of the
Odessa Line, but the Imperial Council insisted on it.
Njri?J3teamers. of tbe Haraburg-America Line called as compared with'
13 and 12 respectively in the last two years. Like the British Lines with
direct sailings from Europe, the German Line felt the effect of the depression