'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf for the Year 1937' [‎18v] (36/72)

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part of the year when it was not required for the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. staff. The Con
sulate is much indebted to the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. for the frequent arduous work of
clearing goods through the Customs at Bushire for use of the Shiraz staff.
80. Foreign interests. —The German colony is now the biggest foreign
community in fehiraz. In addition to the two old residents mentioned in
last year's Summary, there are Germans in the Agricultural Department, the
Municipal Offices, the Wine Factory An East India Company trading post. , the Fars Electric Spinning Mill, and in
the I echnical School. A reception was held on the anniversary of the founda
tion of the Nazi regime, to which a few Iranian officials were invited. Trade
flourished under the clearing agreement till difficulties arose in the autumn.
The German Minister visited Persepolis in May.
81. The Agricultural Department employs an Austrian veterinary
doctor and an Italian engineer, at present in Bushire, is employed by the
Municipality and by various of the Companies as consultant. He also de
signed the new buildings at the Tomb of Hafiz for the Education Depart
ment.
82. American archaeologists under Professor Erich Schmidt were busy
at Persepolis during most of the year. It became the headquarters of the
Mission from the Oriental Institute of Chicago University after the closing
down of work at Rey. Many coins and pottery articles were dug up. Pro-
lessor Schmidt was absent during part of the year on aerial surveys in other
parts of Iran for which the Shah gave special permission when he was at
Persepolis. Two Americans were working for a time in the old Masjid-i-
Juma in Shiraz. During the summer there were various visitors from the
Bahrein Oil Company in Shiraz. Towards the end of the year an American
training specialist arrived to organise classes for nurses. The United States
Charge d' Affaires in Tehran was on tour in the district in October. Other
American visitors included Dr. Schenk, of the Amiranian Oil Company ;
Miss Parrish, a journalist; the Archimandrite Theodore Isaac, Armenian
Bishop of Julfa ; and several students on a world tour.
83. French interests were mainly centred in the excavations at Shapur,
where three archaeologists were working for part of the year. Mr. Goddard,'
Director of the Antiquities and Fine Arts Department of the Ministry of
Education, visited Shiraz several times during the year. The French Charge
d'Affaires in Tehran and the Military Attache also passed through.
84. Other Visitors during 1937 included the Czecho Slovakian Minister;
M. Blanquet, a French civil engineer ; M. Lundborg, of the Swedish Legation ;
M.^ Christianssen, of the Kampsax Consortium ; M. Cemal Husni, leader of
a Turkish Mission to Iran ; Dr. Lindt, a Swiss journalist; and various
Austrians and Czecho-Slovakian tourists.
85. Miscellaneous subjects. —The cost of living has increased steadily
throughout the year, partly owing to the prolonged drought and partly owing
to irregularities in the official control of prices and to shortage of transport
due to Government restrictions.
86. The Irantours Hotel is in course of construction by the Tourist
Department in Tehran. It has the advantage (?) of modern sanitation and
is expected to be ready for visitors before next No Rouz. Meanwhile the
Hotel Sa'adi offers quite comfortable accommodation.
87. The local cimema showed the British films " Thirty-nine Steps"
<ind Bosambo during the year and also a News Reel of the Coronation,
Iranian films made in India were also shown.
88. The maximum temperature recorded in 1937 was 99°. The lowest
in the winter of 1936-1937 was 21° in January. Up to the present (mid-Jan-
uary ) the thermometer has not been below 25° this winter.
89. Rainfall during the winter season 1936-37 was 10-27 inches, as com
pared with 12-27 inches in the previous year. The rainfall so far during the
present winter is 3 inches less than normal. Up to the end of December
no rain had fallen at all in two-thirds of the Province.
90. Slight earthquake shocks were registered in Shiraz in April and in
December.
A. E. WATKINSON,
H. B. M. Consul.