'Administration Reports 1925-1930' [‎11r] (26/418)

9
result tlie notables of BusMre sent under compulsion sympathetic messages to
the Nationalist (anti-dynastic) party at Tabriz, In reality no one in Bushire
was in the least interested, ontside of official circles, nor were they affected at
jail by the Bread riots that occurred somewhat opportunely in Tehran.
They elected four deputies to the Constituent Assembly in Tehran, which was
to decide the fortunes of the dynasty; but, though the methods of election were
said to have not been above bbard, there was no one sufficiently interested to
protest.
In December Eeza Khan's accession to the throne was celebrated by the
officials, but there was no enthusiasm evinced by the general populace.
Section 9.
Trade and Trade Facilities.
Trade. —There is little to chronicle. Money has continued tight, and the
continued embargo on the export of silver has helped to keep the market in
Bushire in a very sluggish condition.
Communications, —Tha Shiraz road remained impracticable for anything
except animals from the beginning of the year for some months, and again at
the end of the year. Some funds were, however, allocated for its repair, and
attempts were made to improve the surface, and to make parapets on the outside
edge of the road, on the worst Kutals, and a beginning was made with the con
struction of a permanent road over the mashaileh by using the embankment of
the old light railway.
Postal Facilities. —These remain very much as^ recorded at the end of last
year. M. Arjumand is not a very competent official and his subordinates go
their own ways with results as might be expected.
Foreign Commercial Enterprise.—11. Wassmuss transported some agricul
tural machinery to Ahmadi and Chaghadak early in the year, but his efforts were
not rewarded and he sustained a heavy loss on the harvest. The rains at. the
end of this year having been better and more distributed, his results should show
some improvement.
Messrs. Unduch closed their Bushire office in February and handed over
the Hansa Line Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. to Mirza Hassan Ali Kazaruni (Ghulshan) and Sons. .
It has been rumoured that M. Walden's visit to Bushire in December was
connected with a proposal to open (1) a branch of the Russian Bank in Bushire
and (2) an Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. of a Russian Steamship Company. He also showed interest
in the possibility of opening a Russian wireless station in Bushire.
Opium. —6,227 cases were exported from Bushire, as against 4,961 cases in
1924. Mr. Tracy Woodward an American enterpreneur in the opiuin trade re
turned to Bushire in February. He was arrested in August by the Vice-Consul
for the United States of America, who had returned from Tehran, on a charge
of illicit trading in opium and contravening the United States Narcotic Drugs.
Import and Export Act. He was convicted and ordered to enter into a bond in
$ 10,000 for his future good behaviour. He left Bushire for Shanghai.
Section 10.
Miscellaneous.
Mr. Roberts, an employe of the Military, Works Service in Bushire, was
wounded at his house by gun shot on the 19th March. He was a convert to Islam,
and had married a gipsy (Turki) w T ife. It was not known whether the assailants
were relatives of his wife, Tangistani robbers or followers of the e^-Kalantar
(Mayor) of Bushire. One of the assailants was, however, caught by the Officer
Commanding at Borazjun and five at KhurmUj, and the Bushire Military autho
rities took up the case. They confessed to having been sent by Muhammad Ali,
son of the late Zair Khidar Khan, our erstwhile enemy, to kill some important
European, and thus involve the Persian Government in difficulties.
There were many delays in dealing with this case owing to the mutual
jealousy for each other felt by the Persian Government Departments who were
dealing with the case, but ultimately orders were received to find out what terms:
were agreeable to us and on our intimating that if 600 Tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. were paid as com
pensation we should consider the case closed ; that amount was forthcoming, and
was paid over to us by the Military authorities in August.
B. STUART HORNER, Captain,
Secy, to the Hon'ble the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. ,.
Lg58CFD