Page 39 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920

POE THE TEAR »H 29
. f0f assEult more numerous, but stray Kashgai riflemen seem in almost
ery case to have been the aggressors, and there seems nothing to show that
various incidents were the outcome of any deep seated local resentment
* just the presence of troops, for similar incidents oocurred during the
nSSoiw year» ^e^ore the arrival of troops, and indeed, the Administration
Reports of Fare since 1900 bear witness to the fact, recorded by Mr. J. H. H.
oyJjt.C.S., in his report for 1907 to 1908 that '* the divinity wnioh did hedge
. European and especially the property of a European, has to a great extent
-.mailed, and the impunity enjoyed without exception by all the perpetrators
J^not tended to restore it ”
In recording before leaving Shiraz his appreciation of the behaviour of the
39th Central India Horse, Mr. Smart added that their conciliatory and friendly
demeanour had gone far to commend them to the townspeople and that there
had been a noticeable absence of friction between the troops and the populace
generally-
The condition of the Bushire-Ispahan road remained deplorable through­
out the year: the combined effect of
Condition of trodo route* in Fare.
“ Rahdari ”, insufficiency of mules, and
current hostilities between districts along the route (the latter factor operating
principally between Borasjun and Kazcrun) was to raise mule hire to a figure
undreamt of a few years ago. These circumstances, combined with the anarchy
vhich prevailed on the Ahwaz-Ispahan road during the summer, caused a rapid,
increase in Russian and a corresponding decrease in British Trade in Ispahan,
and this most important market, in which up to a few years ago British trade
predominated almost to the exclusion of that of Russia bids fair to he lost to us
unless the state of the southern roads soon improves.
A few figures may he quoted in illustration of the above:—
Transport per 100 mans (775 lbe).
1907 Kran6 av. 124
1908 170
1909 250
1910 170
1911 155
1912 395
Not only did the rate touch 60 Tomans (£9) for general merchandise, but
ic October muleteers were asking 32 Tomans (about £6) for each mule of a
convoy of 160 mules to take supplies to the Central India Horse in Shiraz l
Exactions of this kind were not confined to the roads: both at Shiraz (3 to 4
Kians) and at Bushire (JKrans) levies were made on mules leaving the town,
on various pretexts. The gendarmerie had not succeeded, up to the end of the
year, even in inducing local chiefs to moderate their charges; gendarmerie posts
vere established in October between Shiraz and Kazerun, but they were
withdrawn in November, having proved unable, according to the Governor-
General’s own statement, to prevent the local chiefs taking “ Rahdari ” between
Bashtarjin and Kazerun. From Dashtariin to Shiraz, a distance of 40 miles,
"Bahdari ” was said to have been stopped, but this would appear to have been
due less to the measures adopted by the gendarmerie than to the departure to
their winter quarters of the Kashkulia wno infested the route.
German.—Doctor H. Listemann, who enjoys the personal rank of Consul,
was in charge of the German Yice-Consu-
Fowign interats. late throughout the year. While main-
Uining a strictly correct attitude towards British Official representatives and
friendly relations with the Russian Consul-General, he was at daggers drawn
the French Doctor and the Belgian Customs Direotor and part of the
British, mercantile community over personal matters.
In March, a German subject named Roever, a merohant resident in Shirai,
down to Bushire to he married by Dootor Listemann. Two other German
JJJhjects, Herr Hcinicke and his wife, also of Shiraz, passed through Bushire on
fctirement from Persia. With the exception of Herr Appelt, an Austrian
^kjcct, iate of Constantinople, who arrived in December vid India en route to