'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for the Years 1915-1919' [‎68v] (143/396)

58
PERSIAN GTJLF ADMINISTRATION REPORT
Baklitiari border and Ispahan. Owing to Ibe latter s depredations many
thousands of packages of upward cargo were held up at Qahwarukh and w ere
only released in October under escort furnished by Sir Percy Sykes from
Ispahan. It w 7 as not till November that the Hussians were able to drive out
these brigands and break up their following.
On the 30th June, the Imperial Bank of Persia cancelled without notice
their longstanding arrangements for financing the road transport, and stated
its inability to buy exchange on London or Bombay. The Bank admitted
it was in an overbought position owing to the hea\y demands of the military
authorities for local purchase.
Bates have been abnormally high. In March krans 16 a maund, which
fell to 9J in April and hardened a^ain
Transport rates Ahwaz to Ispahan. ^ krails 20 in June, and after a fluct
uation to krans 12 in July, it rose to krans 22, at w hich figure it remained
for the rest of the year. The average upw 7 ard rate was krans as
compared to krans 7'87 for 1915 and krans 7 for 1914. T\ hat with the low
exchange value of sterling and the high transport rates, ten shillings a ton a
mile was the rate in force on the road for the greater part of the year.
The conditions on the road itself are as bad as ever. The road surface is bad
and little repairs have been carried out.
Lynch read. Caravanseraies are woefully insufficient;
exorbitant rates for supplies of all kinds are in force. The Khans have
recently increased the tolls from krans 5 to 8 per mule The supply of
transport animals is sufficient, (1,750 tons of cargo were carried forward from
1916.1917).
The Moin's steamer is the only one left which is available for transport
services. British firms, however, prefer
t iTer tai.spoi . ^ ma j, e uge sa i|i U o> craft with all the
inherent disadvantages of pilfering, slowness of transit and liability of goods to
damage.
The amount of cargo carried during the year is estimated at—•
Tons.
Mohammerah-Ahwaz ....... 10,010
Ahwaz-Mohammerah ....... 2,000
Before the outbreak of war the Russians were challensrim? our trade in
Road traffic l s P a ^ a11 market, but since then, with
the complete cessation of imports from
the north, Ispahan has had to look almost entirely to the Gulf for its
supplies. This factor, taken in combination with the disturbances in Ears and
the closure of ail trade routes in that area, has resulted in a record year for the
Bakhtiari road.
It is estimated that about 7,000 tons of goods were forwarded during
1916 from Ahwaz to Ispahan.
Messrs. Lynch's figures are—
1^10 ••#... 26,397 cwts. (previous record.)
19]4 17,080 „
]915 8,788 „
* ' • • • • 29,525 „ (record.)
Another change brought about by the w T ar is the closing of the Black Sea
route for Indian lea. Before the autumn of the year 1914, no tea was
orwaided to 1 eh ran over the Bakhtiari road. Since then the following
quantities were imported via Ahwaz ;~
Cwts.
19U
1915 . . , 2,890
910 ■ ... 3,198
i S V ie U 1 se ^ ie -^khtiari road for the export oi
merchandise from Smtaiiabad and Hamadan.