Page 529 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 1010. 33

do all the mischief they can, and not only damage the line but are a menace to
the lives of the Telegraph officials. The guards provided by the Persian
authorities arc very irregularly paid and frequent desertions are the natural
consequence.
The connection of Kerinan with Bandar Abbas by a direct line of tele­
graph is very desirable.
It may almost be said that all roads in the province have been unsafe
throughout the vear. The Kerman-Ban-
Roads. dar Abbas roads were infested by cara­
vans of Afghan traders in arms, until the end of March, and, during the re­
mainder of the year, caravans have from time to time been plundered by rob­
bers from Fars. Robbers from the same province have also infested the
Kerman-Yezd road throughout the year.
This road was safe during May when the Sardar-i-Jang, Governor-Gene­
ral of Yezd, was taking active measure against the robbers, but at no other
time, for it was liable to raids at all times. For about the last two months of
the year the road was closed to traffic by a large gang of Farsi robbers, who
established themselves at Shims and robbed both travellers and villagers.
M. Petroff, the Acting Russian Consul, who left Kerman on November 7th,
was robbed before he had travelled three stages, and by the end of the year
had not travelled beyond Anar, six stages from Kerman.
All roads in Baluchistan are unsafe, but the activities of the Baluch
Sardars have by no means been confined to their own province. They have
robbed caravans on the roads between Kerman and Bam and Bam and Kashit
and Khabis, and have from time to time infested the roads between Bara and
the Baluchistan border.
One incident deserves special menticn as an instance of the unwilling­
ness of the Persian officials to cope with rebbers even under the most favour­
able conditions. On November 7th, four Afchans, representing themselves to
be peaceful travellers, joined a caravan cf Khorasanis travelling from Bam
to Yezd, and near Bam attacked their fellow travellers killing four and
wounding a fifth, and drove off 35 carrels. Kasir-ul-Mamalik of Bam. who
enjoys a reputation for courage and determination, went in pursuit of the
robbers with about fifty mounted men, not twenty, as reported at the time.
The Afghans were surrounded and showed fight, v;hereupon Nasir-ul-
Mamalik withdrew his men. on the plea that they were hungry and must get
food, and the Afghans marched off unmolested, driving the camels with them.
It would be difficult to imagine a more disgraceful display of cowardice.
Owing to the insecurity of the roads freights between Kerman and
Bandar Abbas have risen from krans ISO to krans 400 a kharwar, and the
prices of imported goods, among which may be mentioned tea and sugar, have
risen proportionately in Kerman.
The Kerman branch of the Imperial Bank of Persia was open throughout
p . the year under the management of Mr.
F. G. T. Nelson, Mr. L. Newman holding
the post of accountant.
The medical work of the Church Missionary Society has been most satis­
factory. The local establishment of the
Missionaries.
Society has been increased by a lady doc­
tor and two nurses. The following are the hospital statistics for the year :__
Male. Female.
Fresh cases .... 2,933 2,705
Repeated visits , 7,0S0 9,038
Out-door patients , 2,311 1,417
In-door patients 224 214
Operations .... 204 216
Minor operations are not recorded
Climate and Rainfall. A heavy fall of late snow, on February
28th, did much damage to fruit trees, by
destroying the blossom.
F