Page 436 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF
20
on the Bushins road, and had made all traffic on the road impossible. Their
principal hunting ground was, however, as usual, the stretch of the Ispaban-
iShiraz road between Shulgislan and Yezdikhast, which was practically
blocked by them throughout the month of November.
One caravan which attempted resistance lost 5 men killed.
Jt appears that the Kashgai made some attempt to impose their authority
on the Boir Ahmadi in July, but the circumstances arc obscure. It is certain,
however, that they were unsuccessful and that the Boir Ahmadi succeeded in
killing their own chief, Shahin Khan, who had taken refuge with the
Kashgais.
Another branch of Kuhgelu, the Maraasenni, scored a decided success,
blocking the path of a ludicrously small force with one gun sent by Saham-ed-
Dowleh to collect their revenue. The latter failed completely in their re­
vision.
If there had been any prospect of the Governor-General establishing any
control over the Kuhgelu it would have been destroyed by the measure taken
under Bakhtiari influence after Sahain-ed-Dowlch’s departure from Tehran,
by which Behbehan was separated from Fars and handed over to Bakhtiari
control. This measure will certainly be exceedingly unpopular in the district
concerned where the Bakhtiari are hated by all parties, and it remains to be
seen whether it will have any measure of success.
The hopeless insecurity of the outlying districts made 1909 on the whole
a very bad year. The imports could not
Trade.
be distributed owing to the inability of
the pedlars to circulate, while the exports were not brought in as usual, the
villages not venturing to risk their animals on the outlying routes.
There was a short period of relative prosperity for the import trade on
the arrival of Saham-ed-Dowleh when a fair quantity of goods were cleared at
reasonable prices, but this did not last beyond November; while the exports
are estimated at about half the volume of 1993. The opium crop was not a
very good one, although prices were slightly above the average, the European
markets were still overstocked with gums, while the merchants, who began to
ship almonds freely on the news of good prices in Europe, due chiefly to the
Messina earthquake, in most cases lost money owing to an unexpected drop in
the price.
During the summer the Bushire trade mostly followed the Firuzabad
route, which was under the control of Sowlet-ed-Dowleh. This was fairly
safe, but quite unfitted for any but summer use, owing to the absence of accom­
modation. Unfortunately Sowlet-ed-Dowleh. having once tasted the pecuni­
ary advantages derivable from the control of the main trade route, is not at all
likely to relinquish them at any season of the year.
On this subject the tabular list of travellers and robberies below furnished
the most eloquent commentary possible.
Public security.
All the roads, with the exception of the
Sarhad (summer) route to Ispahan and the Firuzabad route to Bushire were
in a state of chronic insecurity, and several robberies took place even on the
two exceptions mentioned above, which are under the control of Sowlet-ed-
Dowleh. Things improved slightly during the first two months of Saham-ed-
Dowleh s regime, ana pedlars were able to circulate. But it is no exaggera­
tion to say that at no time during the year was there any real security for
travellers in any part of the province.
The total amount of British claims, of which the vast majority are for
road robberies, rose during the year from tomans 40,609 to tomans 57,881,
only one robbery claim of any importance being paid, namely £138, for a
robbery of Messrs. Ziegler’s goods, although several outstanding commercial
cases were settled by Saham-ed-Dowleh.
The most important robberies of British goods were :—4 chests of opium
valued at £520, the property of Messrs. Andrew Weir & Co.; piece-goods
valued at tomans 1,888, the property of Messrs. Ziegler, stolen by Maser mis
‘within a few miles of Shiraz; and piece-
md.IbwUhJ1** 'iDCe be0D Paid Sowlet-
goods valued at £99J, the property of
Messrs. Dixon, stolen by Kasbgais.