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i)loliammaraii-Charbar Coastal Road.—The construction of this road re­
mained in abeyance.
Slave Traffic.
Bandar Abbas.-—No manumission certificates were issued. Only two Arab
slaves took asylum at this Consulate, one of whom disappeared and the other was
referred to the Governor for the grant of necessary papers.
Aviation.
Bandar Abbas.—Four aeroplanes landed on the aerodrome during the year.
British.—Lieutenant-Commander F. G. Hall of the Australian Navy landed
in his Gypsy Moth on 14th on his way from England to Australia.
Spanish.—Monsieur F. li. Loring landed on 2nd May on his Solo Record
Flight from Spain to Philipinc Islands.
Germ an.—Junkers’ monoplane which was chartered by the Geologists of the
Anglo-Persian Oil Company arrived here twice on the 25th and 31st August
respectively.
Navy.
Bandar Abbas.—His Majesty’s Ships “ Ormonde ” and “ Hastings ” arrived
here on the 7th January and returned to Hcnjam the next day.
French.—The French Training Cruiser “ Jeanne D’Arc ” arrived on the
2nd November and sailed the following day.
Persian.—The new Persian Gun-boats “ Babr ” and “ Palang ” with
Despatch Vessels “ Chahbaz ”, “ Chahrukh ”, “ Seemurgh ” and “ Karims ”
arrived from Italy via Charbar and Jask on the 28th October. Yawar Ghulam
Ali Khan Bahandur was in command.
Visit of IIis Majesty’s Representatives.
Mr. G. A. Richardson, O.B.E., His Majesty’s Consul, Bandar Abbas, and in
additional charge of the Kerman Consulate, visited Lingali and British Basidu
in January and Minab in February. He left for Kerman on 1st March and
returned in October. He sailed for India on leave preparatory to retirement oil
the lGth December.
Captain. C. H.^ Lincoln, O.B.E., who took over charge of both the Consulates
m 8th December visited Kerman between 1.0th and 24th December.
British Interests.
Consular Escort.—This was abolished with effect from 1st June.
.Imperial Bank of Persia.—Mr. E. S. Mathcson remained in charge till 28th
November when lie was relieved by Mr. A. S. Chapman.
The market in free exchange was very dull throughout the year, and the.
majority of the business offered being on India.
The Imperial Bank of Persia Notes were collected during the year and a
small percentage of the Notes still remained in circulation.
All bills were well met by the merchants and there were no cases of bank­
ruptcy during the year under report.
Selling quotations of the Banks on London and Bombay were as follows :—
London. Ilifdiol . Rials 130 to £1.
Lowest Rials 78 to £1.
Average . Rials .08 to £1.
Bombay. . Rials 834 lo Rs. 100.
Lowest Rials 580 to Rs. 100.
Average . Rials 730 to Rs. 10U.
The National Bank of Persia was a keen competitor resulting in a fine margin
in the rates and freer credit facilities granted to the merchants. A great part of
their business appeared to consist of operations in Exporters’ Exchange and their*
Manager, Monsieur Karl ITocfcr often remarked that that class of business gave
them a great deal of trouble compared with the small profit they made on it and
that their staff was not adequate enough lo cope with the work.