'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎79v] (163/610)

9. Rasht.
*Population in 1919 about 30,000.
General .—The capital of Gilan situated 20 miles (by road)
inland from the Caspian Coast at Qazian (Enzali), 6| miles
from the Enzali “ murdab ” and 247 miles from Tehran. The
Siyah Rudbar stream passes the town on the East and the
Gauhar Rud on the West. It is hidden among trees and sur
rounded by rice fields, and the summer climate is damp, sultry
and unhealthy. It is divided into 7 quarters, containing about
6,000 houses, 3,300 shops, 20 caravansarais for merchants and
25 for caravans. Since 1890 Rasht rapidly increased in impor
tance owing to the expansion of Russian trade and of rice and
silk production and to the development of communications,,
and became one of the chief commercial centres of Persia.
The firm of Nobel have a pipe line from Enzali and reservoirs
for naphtha.
Inhabitants .—The native population is Gilaki with some
Farsi officials and merchants. Gilaki, Farsi and Turki are all
spoken. The percentage of literates is comparatively high.
There are a few Russians, some Greeks, Levantines and French
men attracted by the silk industry, about 100 families of
Armenians, some of Russian, the rest of Persian nationality, and
a small number of Jews.
Supplies. —Rice, fish, wood and charcoal are obtainable in
unlimited quantities but other supplies, e q., wheat, barley and
sheep must be fetched from a greater distance than in the case of
the Mazandaran towns, or even of Lahijan and Langarud.
The plain of Gilan, North West of the Safi id Rud, is backed by
only a single and comparatively narrow range of hills separat
ing' it from Tarum, fie., the Kizil Uzun valley, which has not
much cultivation, and grain must be imported by long and bad
mule routes from the plateaus of Khamseh and Zinj an beyond
this valley.
Supplies are sufficient to maintain without difficulty through
out the year 500 British, 1,500 Indian ranks, and 600 animals.
When the Baku route is open unlimited numbers of troops can
be fed.
Transport .—Plentiful in normal times. See Chapter VII,
para, (e), pages 308-310. *
* The town is described as ■ it existed before the Bolshevik invasion of
1920. Subsequently about 8,000 refugees left the town and a large part or'
the bazaar was burned. A