File 3852/1912 Pt 1 'Persia: Trade in South. Conditions on the Bushire - Shiraz Road. Russian commercial competition in S. Persia' [‎79r] (157/368)

11
3
Motor Transport as a Commercial Proposition.
Average rate of
hire upwards.
exchange. to.al paid.
5‘ £63,924
55 £ 70.743
56 £105,143
Rate of Estimated
1907- 08
1908- 09 ...
1909- 10 ...
120 krans per 736 lbs.
>>
The above figures were based on more or less rough estimates of the volume
ot merchandise transported. More accurate statistics kept in 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. of
the actual weignts of goods forwarded upwards only in March 1912-13 and
l 9 l 3' 1 4 g lv e the following results for the hire ruling on piece-goods, the lowest
rated category. The actual hire disbursed was however undoubtedly far more
as piece-goods only formed J —% of the whole:—
The section of the caravan route from Bushire to Daliki—three stages or
a day s journey by caravan, out of the whole ten to Shiraz—covers about 60 miles
out of a total of 185, or roughly one»third of the distance to Shiraz.
Approximately speaking therefore, the minimum cost of transport of
merchandise up-cowitry only from Bushire to Daliki by the main route cost
^40,011 in 1912-13; and even after merchants in Bushire had combined to
check the extortionate demands of muleteers and kept rates at a more moderate
level in March 1913’14, the minimum cost during the last year was about
££ 33 > oi 3 -
In addition to this last figure, a third of the transport rates paid
on some 2,000 to 2,500 tons of goods which are brought down country
from Shiraz to Bushire annually, at much lower rates than up-country hire, it is
true, but still productive of a very large sum. And further in 1913-14, some
2880 tons of goods were sent inland from Bushire via Shief, for transport chiefly
by the Shief road to Borasjun—goods which would go by the main route to
Borasjun, if a cheaper and quicker means of transport were available.
Making all allowance for the very substantial reduction on the present high
rates of animal hire, which may be expected from a motor service—even if the
latter charged only one half present rates—a very large income would still be
obtained annually.
According to the prices quoted by makers in England, the cost of the ordi
nary 3-ton Motor Lorry is about £joo —^800. The cost landed at Bushire
and all expenses paid might be taken at ^1,000 each, or a capital outlay of
Tons. Rate of Amount
exchange. paid.
I 9 » 2 -I 3 ...
1913-14 ...
... 350 krans per 736 lbs. 6,249 55 £120,035
•** 25 5 » » 7> i8 5 55 £ 99 >° 5 i