Page 557 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

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POR TILS TSAR 19lf. 39
The effect of tbo Rucsian Revolution no\V made itself felt in Tehran and
the Mincer telegraphed .that ho was no longer able to support Zsffar*® can*
didnturo in face of the hostility shown to the latter by tbo Tehran Khans who
desired that Sardar Muhtashim and Auiir Jang should continue in office until
the tribes returned to the Ailaq when Sard are Jung and Bahadur would be sent
down, nominally to examine tho situation but really as future Ilkhani and
Ilbegi- Tho soouel showed that this move on the part of the Tehran Khans waa
mainly bluff. Tneir real objection to Zaffar was based, not on personal grounds,
hut on the fact that he was our nominee and they hoped that if he was elected
later without our support they would ho ablo to extort a promise from him to
oppose the presence of British representatives in the Bakhtiari country and the
formation of tribal levies. In view of tho changed situation in Russia and the
circumstances attending Zaffar's election to the Ilkbaniship, it was decided to
drop the Levy Scheme for tho time being.
In July Sardars Zaffar and Ashjaa were elected Ilkhani and Ilbegi respeo-
tively by the tribes with the consent of the Khans in Tehran. For several
months past Sardar Muhtashim had completely neglected to ensure the safety
of the Lynch Road, with the result that the Kughelus recommenced their
depredations and the road was virtually closed throughout the greater part of
the summer. "With the advent of Zaffar a complete change took place and, by
the first week in September, His Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General, Isfahan,
was able to report that unexampled order had been restored on the road.
There can be no doubt that the new Ilkhani is sincerely attached to our
interests. Be has naturally had to contend with considerable opposition from
the party of Sardar Muhtashim and his position has been rendered more difficult
by the general scarcity due to failure of the rains and to the ravages of locusts.
At one time he declared his intention of remaining in the high country
throughout the winter, but promi- js of financial assistance and of arms and
ammunition for his projected expedition against the Kughclus have induced
him to change his mind.
Transport was carried on under exceptionally difficult conditions during
Ljcch Road. the year under review.
Semi-famine conditions prevailed in all sections of the road, hut particu­
larly in the hill sections, owing to tho failure of the previous year’s crop. The
cost of barley at some stages reached the hitherto unheard of figure of Krana
30 per Shah maund, but even at this figure it was frequently unobtainable at
some stages. Muleteers have in consequence had a very bad time and many of
them have become bankrupt The rate of mortality among their animals waa
also high, the result of overloading and under feeding.
Kughelu raiders were very active from May to July and the notorious
Riza Juzdani and Jaffar Quli continued to exact heavy tolls from all caravans
between the Bakhtiari border and Isfahan:
The rate of hire rose from Krans 22 per Shah maund, in January, to Krans
28 during the following months after which easier rates ruled for the
remainder of the year, the lowest being Krans 11 per Shah maund. The ave-
rege rate for upward cargo was £100 per ton and for the downward £27 per
J0n« These high rates were due to the excessive price of fodder .and /to the-
fact that the supply of transport animals was quite unequal to tho demand.
In spite of . these adverse conditions. Messrs.' V Lynch Brothers have had a
record year, the weight of goods 'forwarded by them amounting to 46,964
cwts. as compared with 29,525 cwts. in 1916, the previous record.
Large profits have also been made by native merchants chiefly in piece
and sugar. The forwarding of piece goods except for goods handled by
•Messrs. Lynch Brothers is almost entirely in the hands of the Jewish merchants.
The 10# pipe line was completed in January 1917 since when it has been
continuously in commission with satisfac­
Anglo-PenUn Oil Comp&nj,
tory results.
Concurrently with the pipe line construction an additional pomping
t !0n’ deal with the extra through-put^ was erected at TembL Eight
cashue boilers were transported up oouatry in tactions and rivetted