Page 750 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

16 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE
British Officer being furnished from Bandar Abbas. The dcporfoes were sent
from Baghdad in separate batches, the 1st batch arriving at Honjam during
July. When a’l had arrived the total nuinbor of the deportees was 49. Of
these one, Mirza Mohamcd Rcza, son of the Cliief Mujtebid, was released and
loft for Kerman on the 9th of August, and one, Sayed Ahmed Saycd Salman,
died of heart-failure on the night of 10th November.
The arrangements for the construction of huts, food, and other work in
connection with the deportees were entrusted to Contractor Khan Sahib
Ebrahim Gelladary. Food was supplied at a charge of Its. 4 per prisoner per
diem.
Slave Traffic.
Bandar Alias.—Fourteen slaves took refuge at ITis Majesty’s Consulate
during the year, out of whom seven were given manumission.
Lingah.—Only one slave took refuge at the Vice-Consulate during the
year, who was manumitted.

Trade and Commerce.
Bandar Allas.—Statistics are not obtainable, as the Customs year ends on
21st March, but the number of exports and imports appears to be less than
in 1919. Import Revenues from March to December amounted to Krans
37,355,233 and Export to Krans 12,210,808.
The new tariff revised by the Anglo-Persian Agreement of 1920 has
yielded 100 per cent, more than the old tariff for imports and 60 per cent from
exports, but one-third of the increase in import revenues is due to a temporary
•* Surtax” of one kran per batman (6 lbs.) on sugar.
The amount of exports is about one-third of that of imports, main exports
being dried fruits, carpets, assafotida, and gum tragacanlh, main imports sugar,
toa, rice, piecegoods and kerosine oil.
Lingah.—British India Steam Navigation Company’s steamers maintained
the subsidiary mail service throughout the year, steamers calling weekly on the
up trip and fortnightly on the down. Persian Gulf Steam Navigation Com­
pany’s steamers called at this port on seven occasions during the year.
Owing to the shipping facilities there was a marked increase in imports
and exports of the port during the year.

Weather.
There was a very heavy fall of rain on the night of the 20th January.
There was a heavy storm accompanied by hail on 11th March. It hailed
for about 15 minutes and hall stones were so large that window panes were
smashed in several houses.
The weather during the end of July was exceptionally warm and damp.
Nights had been most trying and sleep on occasions had been almost an im­
possibility.
During the beginning of December the weather had become very much
colder and sandstorms had been frequent. It was said to be colder than at
any time last year. There were two falls of rain, but neither of them was
heavy enough to be really beneficial.

Anglo-Persian Agreement.

The delay in, and latterly the improbability of, the ratification of the
Agreement has had a very had effect locally. All the Persian officials in
Bandar Abbas and Lingah, except the Deputy Governors, being always anti-
British have been encouraged to show more open hostility than they dared
to eviuce before, and the dismissal of His Excellency the Darya Begi has
given them 6till greater confidence.