Page 299 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

FOR TUB TEAR Mi. 15
No sorious inter-tribal quarrols on the Sliib Kuh Coast were reported.
Shaikh Mazkur of Gabandi continued to defy the Persian Government by not
paying his revenue, which is now three years in arrears.
Condition of Roads. No attacks on caravans were reported
and the main caravan route to Bastak and
J,ar was frcolv used. In April, it was reported that tho po6t had been robbed
just outside Lar.
A few instances of gun-running were reported on the 8hib Kuh Coast
Arm« Traffic during the year. The total number of
arms amounted to 56 rifles and 15
revolvers; 10,000 rounds of ammunition were also landed.
The firm of Messrs. Robert Wonckhaus and Company were suspected of being
engaged in the Arms Traffic; but it was impossible to prove it owing, firstly, to
the great friendship which existed between the local manager of the firm and
Monsieur ‘Willcmsens, the Customs Director; and secondly, to the faoilitiea
accorded to the Firm of landing their cargo at their own wharf instead of
at the Customs House. "Under these oircumstances it was the easiest thing
imaginable for the firm to import rifles packed in Vermicelli cases, ana
ammunition in packages resembling bundles of gold thread and to declare
them as such. The arms could then have been transhipped to tho Shib Kuh
Ports or sent into the interior.
Nine slaves took refuge in tho Vice-Consulate, of whom three were
Stave Traffio. manumitted. The remainder were re­
turned to their owners after their grie­
vances were redressed. One slave absconded before his case was settled.
Trade was normal up to the outbreak of the "War, when imports and
British intercit.. exports practically ceased owing prin-
cipally to scarcity of money duo to the
dislocation of the pearl market, and secondly, to the absence of shipping.
Towards the end of the year, however, a limited quantity of goods were
imported from India.
The British India Steam Navigation Company continued their slow Mail
Service up to the outbreak of the War when, owing to many of their vessels
being requisitioned by Government as transports, the Service became extremely
irregular.
The other Steamship Companies which called at Liagah were the Anglo-
Pcrsian Oil Company, Arab Company; Strict Line, Bucknails, Bombay
Persia and Persia Arabia Steam Navigation Company.
Herr Rosenfeld represented the firm of Messrs. Robert Wonckhaus and
Company till the 18th July, when he was
Foreign IotareiU.
relieved by Herr Manicke. The latter
being a reservist was summoned to join the colours and left Lingah by country
boat for Basrah in September, whence he escaped disguised as an Arab at the
time the British Expeditionary Force were moving on Basrah. He returned
to Lingah in December.
After the outbreak of War the Firm confined its labours to recovering
their outstandings and to spreading false war news and intriguing.
The Hamburg-Amerika Line paid 7 calls on the outward journey (from
Hamburg) and brought 15,481 packages. They paid only one call on the
homeward journey.
The Russian Steam Navigation Company paid 2 calls each on their out-
Mard and homeward journey. They brought and took away very few
packages.
Tho French cruiser “Jeanne D'Aro ” visited Lingah in January.
Towards the end of 1913 the British India sailing vessel * Batal Zaver
Prasad '* of Outch was stranded near Busati
Pimoj.
on the Shib Kuh Coast. The crew were
ill-treated and robbed of all their possessions by the looal people, who also
made away with the whole of the cargo of dates and broke up the vessel. The