'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for the Years 1911-1914' [‎213v] (431/488)

18 PERSIAN GULP ADMINISTRATION REPORT
the male portion of the population to man the local fort or flee to the hills.
On the whole, however, the continuance of the normal state of affairs ia
undoubtedly having a calming and reassuring effect on the inhabitants.
The winter rains had completely failed up to the end of the year ; an early
rainfall in October gave promise of a good harvest but no further rain fell, and
the outlook for the poorer classes was a black one, as the failure of the
rains tended to raise still further the prices of goods, which were already
abnormal on account of the TV ar.
Parlies of Gendarmerie under Swedish officers visited Bandar Abbas
from Kerman in April, June and October. It was originally proposed that they
should establish posts along the Bandar Abbas-Kerman Trade Route, and that
the two places should be linked up by a telegraph line during the autumn,,
hut the project did not mature, chiefly on account of the War.
The o-reater security of the Trade Routes found an immediate reflex in the
trade returns, those for the Persian year
Tiaie - ending on the 20th March 1914 k showing
an increase of 31 per cent, in imports over those of the preceding year.
returns for the first quarter of the Persian year 1914-15 again showed a
steady increase over those of the corresponding period of the y ea J
before ; the outbreak of the European War, however, at once paralysed
trade: no shipments were received from Europe, and but few from I n dia
as the mail service was at once reduced and freights rose. Some merchants
who held stocks at the outbreak of War realised handsome profits as the prices
of almost all the ordinary articles of commerce went up Once the existing
stocks were exhausted, business came almost entirely to a standstill; but very
small quantities of goods were received by sea or from the interior. The
Persian merchants expressed consternation at the cessation of trade, and with
their small financial backing and extensive credit system it was obvious that
many of them would be hard hit. The Hindus on the other hand faced the
situation with equanimity, and, while admitting that business was slack,
appeared to have no anxiety about the future.
The general attitude of the populace towards the combatants in the War
was mainly coloured by Russophobia.
The ^ T&r ' They displayed no hostility at the com
mencement of the War to Great Britain, but pro-German reports, emanating
chiefly from Basrah, coloured all their views, and their entire ignorance ot
even the rudiments of geography obtained credence for the most absurd
rumours. To counteract these, Captain Biscoe, from time to time, gave
lectures on the War to the British Indian community, who displayed consider
able interest and subscribed liberally to the Indian Relief Eund, and summaries
of Renter's telegrams were circulated in Persian and English. The entry ot
Turkey into the arena, however, naturally aroused the sympathies of the
Muhammadan population, but even then it took ^ the form rather of lending
a ready ear to tales of Turkish successes than of a display of hostility to Great
Britain. The capture of Basrah came as a great blow, and for a long time
afterwards tales of its reoccupation by the Turks were daily spread abroad
and eagerly believed.
The Hamburg-Amerika line paid 8 calls here, the last being in July, and
brought 18,720 packages. The vessels
Foreign interests. the Steam Navigation Company
called 5 times.
Assistant Surgeon Smith, I.S.M.D., held the post of Quarantine Medical
Officer till the 1st August, when he was
Qaarantine - relieved by Assistant Surgeon H. 0. Berhe
from Jask, who continued in charge up to the end of the year. 1 he Chan a
^Dispensary was well attended and is a popular and recognised institution.
His Maiesty's Consul visited Rudan in January; the Clarence
Straits up to Khamir in February, and
~ rouis ' Bassidu and Henjam in June.