Page 78 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920

68 PERSIAN. GULP ADMINISTRATION REPORT
with the exception of the portion Ramuz-Behbehan which has been in existen^
at intervals. The remainder of the line ceased to work before the grain season
began.
The repairs effected by Mr. Christmas of the Indo-European Telegraph
Department, as reported la3t year, were very soon allowed to lapse into thei*
normal condition and it became apparent that the line ^would never work under
native control. Many complaints were received from the local firms who
in October 1911, had addre^ed a joint letter to His Majesty’s Consul expressing
the great los3 incurred by British companies owing to the existing condition of
affairs. They pointed out that they were unable to obtain their grain rates
from home or their exchange rates from Tehran within a reasonable time and
that, further, since the war with Turkey, they could not even send their coded
messages via Basrah. Rates from Tehran were frequently useless when they
arrived and were, indeed, sometimes an actual cause of loss owing to the delay
in their i delivery. A similar complaint was repeated in August 1912, but
made jointly to their head offices in London.
These Complaints were forwarded on, strongly supported, but His Majesty’s
Government were already engaged in pressing forward the Arabistan Convention
giving the control of the lines to the Indo-European Telegraph Department.
This convention was finally signed soon after the close of the year, and it
is to be hoped that work on the section will soon be commenced.
In August, on information received from the Resident, His Majesty's
Ara< Fraffic Consul searched the S.S. “ Bahrain,” of
the Arab Steamship Company, for arms
which it W03 suspected were contained in bags of lime which had been
exported from Haskat, by one Gabriel.
Among the bags of lime were found concealed 23 rifles and two packages
which appeared to be filled with ammunition but which, on being subsequently
opened up, were found to contain automatic pistols.
The work of the Anglo-Persian Oil Com­
British Interests.
pany progressed considerably during the
year.
The first bulk shipment was made in May and continued throughout
the year.
Eero-ece, Benzine and Fuel Oil were placed on the market in October.
The S.S. “ Ferrara/’ a lighter ship of some 1,650 tons was brought out from home
for the conveyance of cace oil to the various Gulf markets and for bringing up
stores from Bombay and India.
Eight wells were drilled at the Oil Fields during the year.
On the 31st December the company were employing:—
Europeans. Indians. Chinese. Persians.
At Mobamznerah . . 8 J6 47
„ Abadan . . 17 643 88 542
„ the Oil Fields . • 19 38 882
The number of the Europeans employed at the Refinery at Abadan in­
creases steadily and at the time of writing has reached 26.
Sadik-es-Sultaneh, the Persian Commissioner for the Oil Company, arrived
from London on the 18th January. He left for Kerbela and returned again
on the 24th February leaving forAhwaz and the Fields, en route to Tehran,
on the 13th March.
^-r* W• S. Lamb, the Manager of the Company*s Agency at Mohammerah*
left for England in June, returning to Burma where he took up his old p0^
with the Burma Oil Company.
Mr. C. A. Walpole, the Assistant Manager, is now acting as Manager.
The head offices, which were in course of erection, were occupied in Juty
electric light being
. '^ie Bank of JPerria considerably extended its bush*®*
during the year under report, and ’ a third member was addea
to the European staff.