Page 208 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

66 PERSIAN GULP ADMINISTRATION REPORT
should bo confiscated. This, however, was not possible as the holders of
had in tho meantime disappeared. His Majesty’s Consul, Sistan, wn0 . ^
no way responsible for these certificates, which were old, expressed his in*'as. ja
of strictly supervising tho issuo of such documents in. the futuro. Sistan*^011
doubt, do actually work for British Indian traders in Sistan, but theip18* ?°
object in coming to Kerman appears to bo to deal (presumably on the; niJl*n
account) in bad ghee; arms, and opium “ sukhtah, M in which they are m°^
assisted by being able to pose as British protegds. ' niu°h
The commercial conditions of the year wore not unfavourable, but f!
Commercial. .W3S U™blf *Om wg
in several difficult bankruptcy cases •
which tlio Imperial Bank of Persia and the Hindus were creditors. Th
cases had fallen into a state of great confusion, but were brought into so^
degree of order during tho year, though they still remained unsettled and me
likely to remain so for some time to come. are
During the year the socurity of tho routes was iu general satisfactory, Jw
there were unhappily a few serious outrages. The robbery of large caravan
at Sarvistan and Marghak by Baluchis has been already mentioned. Thb
robbery was followed by that of a large carpet caravan at Daulatabad, on the
Pars border. Fortunately, thanks perhaps to action by the Amir Mufakhatn
the greater part of the property was at once recovered. ’
The Kawam-ul-Mulk lias since led an expedition to Darab to secure the
restoration of the residue, but, s far as is at present known, lie has suffered
dofeat and is unlikely to be successful.
During the year the Consulate had to deal with some five fresh robberies,
but the number of claims involved considerably exceeds that of the robberies.
In the way of recoveries the year was a red-letter one, though that, as will
he seen, means little.
Recoveries aggregating 36,068 Krans were actually effected by the Amir
Mufakham in regard to three robbery cases, and one of these was settled,
albeit only on the basis of a compromise.
Such results, it would seem, are without precedent in the records of the
Consulate during the last ten years.
Bobbery Claims.—Entered during 1913 as unrecoverable locally
(Daulatabad robbery not included) . . Krs. 239,811-75
Recovered during 19J3. . „ 10,068
Total unsatisfied robbery claims on 31st December 1913 about . „ 975,610-90
or at present rates of exchange
about Its. 2,71,000.
All outstanding robbery claims lodged by the Indo-European Telegraph
Department were settled in Tehran by the Persian Government in autumn.
Debt Claims.—There were no serious debt claims lodged in the Consulate
during the year.
The following table shows approximately how matters stand in regard to
Debt Claims :—
No. and balance out-
No. Value. Settled. Recoveries standing on Slat
December 1913.
Cases outstanding on 1,143,347-03
1st January 1913. 45 1,190,118 3 46,770-96 42
Fresh cases lodged dur­ 0,399-43
ing 1913. 7 22,679-45 2 18,280 6

1,162,740-50
Totals • 62 1,212,797-45 5 60,050-95 47
—————— jif
Of the 47 oases shown as still outstanding, however, 9 have been fist
7 as having been settled in Bandar Abbas, and two brought on to ro j