‘Report on the British Indian Commercial Mission to South-Eastern Persia during 1904-1905. By A H Gleadowe-Newcomen, F.R.G.S., F.S.A., President, representing the Upper India Chamber of Commerce and the Indian Tea Cess Committee.’ [‎29v] (63/178)

46 REPORT ON THE BRITISH INDIAN COMMERCIAL
Transport .—Bander Abbas kafilas are chiefly composed of camels or
donkeys, mules being very seldom used, except by officials or travellers wishing
to proceed rapidly, and these have to be specially arranged for. from Yezd as
a rule, few or none being procurable at the bunder or otl er plates. Theieis
no difficulty in procuring camels in the winter, or at other times, provided
due notice be given, but something betler than this is wanted.
As I have already said, the port can draw transport fiom over an immense
area.
A camel carries 450 lbs. It costs, if bought, from R50to R120, whilst the
average price fora mule, a small transport animal, is from BIOS to R200. A
camel is practically self-supporting, whilst the food of a mule needs nearly ^ as
much attention and expenditure as that of a horse. Taking the cost of hiring
a mule at R5,.that of hiring a camel would be and that of donkey, which
carries about 160. lbs., R2. I he connection of Bander Abbas with Kerman or
Bam by land wire, and improvement in the safety of the roads, would do away
with most of the causes of the delay at Bander Abbas. It takes 9 or 10
days from Bombay to Bander Abbas, whilst the average time in transit from
that port to Kerman is from 18 to 25, or a total of 27 to 35 days, in addition
to the average time lost through various causes at Bander Abbas of 3 weeks
to 2 months. Ihis uncertainty as to how long goods will be in transit from the
port, inland, has a most serious effect on trade, for it is impossible to calculate
so as to avoid depletion of stocks, except at a considerable cost, and consequent
loss, i.e., by having to keep heavy stocks ordered far in advance, necessitating
the locking up of money whilst goods are in transit. Ihis means a heavy
handicap against British trade in competing with trade from across the
Russian Frontier, with its quicker transit.
Tkade Routes.—
Reference to Skeleton Map
Houte No.
1
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2
„ Nos.
2 & 2A
2 & 2B
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No.
3
4
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Nos.
4 & 5
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4 & 4B
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No.
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a
7
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8
Saiadabad (Sirjan)—
Bander Abbas to Khorasan and Seistan via Minab,
Bander Abbas to Kerman (winter route).
Alternative route, Bander Abbas to Khorasan and Seistan vii
Minab, uniting with main road at Mil-i-Farhad, south of
Gishu Pass.
Bander Abbas to Bam.
Bander Abbas to Kerman (summer route).
Bander Abbas to Saiadabad and Bahramabad via the Tang-i-
Zindan.
Bander Abbas to Saiadabad and Bahramabad via the Tang-i-
Zagh.
Bander Abbas to Yezd via Saiadabad and Anar.
Bander Abbas.to Yezd via Hormuz and Furg.
Bander Abbas to Shiraz via Far.
Bander Abbas to Bushire.
Saiadabad, the chief town of Sirjan, one of the divisions of the Kerman
Province, is situated at the lower end of the valley of the great Kavir,
or salt marsh, which stretches north to Ispahan. Saiadabad,‘ like all the towns
of this ountry, has suffered severely at the hands of Afghans, Turkomans and
Persians. The present town was built near the site of, and partly from material
got from, the ruins of Shahr-be-Umedi, the City of Despair, which itself had
grown up gradually not far from the site of a still earlier town, Sang-i-Safed,
destroyed, in his usual thorough manner by Timur, the lame Tartar.
The town stands in the midst of an oasis in the valley. It is the largest
of a widely scattered group of townlets and villages. Its population, urban
and suburban, is reckoned at about 9,000. The population of the oasis is
placed at about 150,000, including Nomads. These figures are only approxi
mate, it being impossible to get exact ones.
There is at Saiadabad a Custom’s post, for the prevention of the smuggling
trade in arms. There is also a Post Office, the town being on the Bander
Abbas-Rafsinjan postal and caravan route.