Page 79 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920

FOB THE YEAB 1012. 69
Tlio turnover of the Bank for tlio past year exceeded L. L, 260,000.
Messrs. Orcy Mackenzie had in the previous year posted an European
Assistant to Mohammerah and—in August 1912—took the house next to the
Consulate as their new offices.
Agha Abdi continued as the Company’s agent on behalf of the Shaikh-
Messrs. Lynch Brothers —Mr. Martin arrived from Baghdad and took
over charge of the local office.
Messrs. Mac Andrews and Forbes.—In the month of February, Messrs,
jlacAndrews and Forbes, an American firm of liquorice exporters of Baghdad
and elsewhere, whose employes in these parts are all British subjects, formed a
company registered in London and attempted to open up a business with the
liquorice growing in Arabistan.
Having obtained from the Shaikh a monopoly for the digging and export
0{ all the root growing in his limits at an annual rental of L. 400, they started
work on the Upper Diz They were however unable to get diggers at reasonable
,utes and accordingly closed down for the hot weather.
On starting work in the autumn Mr. Moynihan, the manager, found the
difficulties insuperable and has accordingly completely abandoned the venture
and has returned to England. He states that the liquorice would repay work­
ing if managed by a local company in conjunction with other interests, but that,
in present circumstances, it would not pay a company to keep up a special staff
for the purpose. lie has however stated to His Majesty’s Consul that, should
the Khoremmabad Railway be built in the immediate future, his firm would
once more attempt to take up the question.
His Majesty’s Consul convened a meeting at the Consulate consisting of
the heads of the local British firms with
Clamber of Commerce.
a view to the formation of a British Cham­
ber of Commerce which it was felt was a necessity, both for the assistance and
development of trade and also owing to the many questions which were arising
locally and on which joint action was otherwise difficult.
The idea was readily taken up and a Committee formed which had by the
close of the year drawn up its miles and regulations which were to be placed
before a general meeting for sanction and adoption.
Mr. J. B. Wood on deputation from the Foreign Office at Simla, investigat­
ing financial and other arrangements of
Visitors.
the offices in the Gulf, arrived at Moliam-
merah on the 11th March and left for Ahwaz on the 13th of the same month.
He returned on the 18th leaving for Bushire the same day.
Lord Lamington and party arrived from Bushire on the 5th April leaving
for Ahwaz on the 6th. Lord Laming ton visited Shushtar and the Oil Fields en
route to Ispahan.
On the whole the date season wras a good one, especially for the better
kinds of dates. Basrah produced a better
D&tc Season.
crop than Mohammerah since at the latter
place the gardens are mainly sown with the poorer kinds of fruit which did not
^ture so well this year.
H. M. S. “ Sphinx ” arrived in the middle of October and patrolled the
obatt-el-Arab and estuary. She left at the beginning of December, on the
lamination of the date season. The presence of one of H. M.’s Ships is un­
doubtedly a deterrent against piracy.
The question which has over-shadowed all others during the year has been
the Shaikh-Bakhtiari trouble.
Skukh-Bakbtiari Question.
. Last year it was reported that “ the old question of the Bakhtiari rivalry
j?8 been dangerous ” while under the heading “ Shushtar ” it was anticipated
^ further trouble might be expected.
The anticipated trouble developed itself on the arrival of the € executive
^khtiari Khans on their annual visit to Arabistan in the early spring.