Page 180 - PERSIAN 2C 1890_1899_Neat
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10     ADMINISTRATION REPORT ON TIIE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL
                      ' la July 1893 thoro was a fanatical demonstration against Messrs. Lynch’s
                   house at Shuster. The day of this occurrence was the 10th day of Mohur
                                                                                rum,
                  and the consequence might have been serious, ns about 3,000 people   Bur-
                  rounded the house, threatening tho lives of the inmates. Tho Prince Governor
                   being informed took prompt measures by tho despatch of an armed force
                   which quickly dispersed tbe mob, and a catastrophe was thus averted. Some
                   sort of complaint appears to havo been made by those responsible for
                  this riot, but it can only be regarded as an attempt to avert blame by anti­
                  cipating it with an accusation. An enquiry, conducted by tho Vice-Consul of
                  Mohammcrah, ascertained tho true facts, and a written disclaimer of any cause
                  of complaint against Messrs. Lynch’s Agent was given by the Deputy Gov­
                  ernor of Shuster.
                      In November 1893 cattle-disease of a mild type prevailed on the Karun
                  from Mobammcrah to Ameirak ; it travelled to Falahieli and the islands of
                  Abadan and Khczr, and to tho Turkish side of tho Sbatt-ul-Arab.
                      In December 1893, a gale, accompanied by heavy rain, passed over the dis­
                  trict about Ahwaz, where the river rapidly rose 20 feet, overflowing and flood­
                  ing much of the country. The telegraph poles were blown down in several
                  places, and the line interrupted for a week. The river subsided about tho early
                  part of January last.
                      Tho question of accommodation for Messrs. Lynch at Abwaz, which had
                  been long pending, was decided, and an agreement was drawn up in February
                  between the representatives of thoNizam-es-Sultanch and Messrs. Lynch, and
                  was forwarded to Tehran for ratification. In March last tbe Resident, accom­
                  panied by tbe Extra Assistant, proceeded on tour up the Karun as far as
                  Shuster, and at Ahwaz saw the ground marked for the buildings.
                      The traffic on the Karun is slowly increasing ; and though steamers seem to
                  have done slightly better than in the previous year, they still work at a loss ;
                  and until the land communications in the interior above Shuster are improved,
                  and more carrying capacity is provided on the upper river, the volume of the
                  trade can hardly he materially increased.
                                     8.—FARS AND PERSIAN COAST.
                      The Nizam-us-Sultaneh was Governor-General of Fars throughout the
                  year; his brother, Saad-ul-Mulk, was Governor of Bushire and the Gulf ports,
                  but spent hut a small part of his time within his jurisdiction, only returning
                  to Bushire in January after a long absence at Shiraz.
                      The year closed with the re-appointment of His Royal Highness the
                  Rukn-ud-Dowlah as Governor-General of Fars, and of the Kawam-ul-Mulk
                  as Governor of Bushire and tbe Gulf ports. The arrival of the latter,
                  however, being delayed, Haji Mirza Abdulla Khan was appointed as Deputy
                  Governor, and reached Bushire to take up his duties after a short delay.
                      An embargo on tbe export of wheat was published in May, and continued
                  nominally in force till the following January, when it was removed. This
                  measure, which is of periodical recurrence, though injuriously affecting the
                  regular operations of the more important merchants, who are Europeans, is
                  very generally recognized as being practically ineffectual. Any real restraint
                  on export from the rich corn-producing sea-board tracts from Busbire towards
                  the mouth of the Euphrates would be most difficult; and even if seriously
                  intended or attempted, would be hardly practicable, in view of the fact that
                  scarcely any other meats than by sea are available for disposing of the pro­
                  duce. A thinly veiled and gwerai-surreptitions export is understood to be   car-
                  ried on at Bushire itself during these embargoes.
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