'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎237] (302/905)

CHAP. XI.]
CARAVANS, COMMERCE, ETC.
237
'Irak, and the south-western provinces of the kingdom,
through Shiraz; and the other from the north-west, by
Teheran, Nishapur, and Mushed. Eastward of Herat, how
ever, the united lines pass through Kandahar, Kabul, and
Jellalabad, to Attock, from whence it branches out to dif
ferent parts of India.
The value of the different commodities enumerated by Lieut. Annual
Conolly as being sent along this route, cannot well be less thScommerce.
than 800,000/. sterling in the course of the year. The trade
through Recht, Balfroosh, and other ports on the shores of
the Caspian, amounts to nearly 400,000/. The purchases
made by Persians with cash at Constantinople during the
years 1840 and 1841, amounted to 570,000/. each. As the
port of Abu-SMhr sends to India goods to the value of
400,000/., exclusive of the trade from Mohammarah; if to
these be added the caravan trade to Aleppo and Baghdad,
there will be an export trade amounting to about two mil
lions. Therefore, as something like a balance must prevail,
the commerce of the modern provinces 1 can scarcely be much
short of four millions annually.
The ordinary revenue of Persia is derived from duties levied Sources of
revenue.
on the preceding commerce; from rent-charges of different
kinds, such as the produce of crown lands, mills, water
courses, public buildings, and capitation taxes; 2 and from the
imposts upon cattle. These, from a rough estimate, produce
between six and seven millions of tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , and do not include
what is levied by annual fines and confiscations, nor the saa-
derant raised for troops, couriers, and the royal retinue when
travelling. These last exactions are amongst the heaviest
grievances to which the Persian people are exposed; and but
a small part, either of these taxes or of the surplus revenue of
each district, finds its way to the public exchequer.
Agreeably to the ancient customs of the east, the viceregal Numerous
courts resemble that of the sovereign; and the support of
these is the heaviest charge which is borne by the people. A
prodigious harem, with its proportion of eunuchs and female
1 According to papers in my possession.
2 / Levied chiefly on the Jews, Armenians, and Gahrs.