'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎39r] (82/706)

AZARBAIJAN
65
At this time England held a scarcely disputed command of the cotton
market, the value of her exports to Persia in this line being £393,200 in
1888 and £501,830 in 1889.
The figures given by Mr. Consul-General Wood are as follows
1899-1900 1900-1901
Imports .. .. £723,174 £1,204,069
Exports .. .. £316,304 £ 649,415
This almost incredible increase is attributed by Mr. Wood to the sweep
ing away of the abuses existing in the time of the farmer of customs.
From Mr. Wood’s report it appears that in spite of the cheaper rate at
which Russian merchants can sell their cotton goods (owing to the 30 per
cent., or more, drawback granted them), British firms are still holding
their own in this line.
This is not the case now (1912). As regards imports generally, Russia is
now first on the list, Germany, whose imports during 1911-12 increased by
£ 41,202, second, and'Great Britain third. The imports of the United King
dom and India were respectively £ 41,480 and £28,897 less in 1911-12 than
in the previous year. The falling off in imports from India was due to the
competition of Russian tea.
Chief articles of export.—Carpets, dried fruits of all sorts, gum, wax,
hides and leather of all sorts, and raw cotton.
Chief imports.—Tea, hardware of all sorts, textiles of all sorts, manu
factured tobacco, sugar, stationery, iron, petroleum, flour and matches.
Commercial. —The following European firms were engaged in business
in Azarbaijan in 1894, their operations being carried out from Tabriz:
Ziegler, an English firm.
Castelli, an Italian firm.
Stevens, an English firm.
The Imperial bank of Persia is a British institution under a Royal Charter.
Besides, these, many Persians and Armenians deal direct with Con
stantinople, England and Russia. Their operations are individually
limited, but in the aggregate they do a considerable amount of business
in competition with the English fir ms .
Ziegler deals in prints, Manchester cottons, silk tissues, gold and silvet
thread, gold laces, handkerchiefs, chargats.}
Castelli confines himself almost entirely to banking and imports silvei
from London via Russia to Persia.
Stevens deals in woollen goods, gold and silver laces, silks and com
mission business.
The Persians and Armenians trade in the above articles of import.
Owing to the opening up of the Bushire route by English firms, the im
ports by Trebizond have fallen off by 60 per cent, and whereas Ziegler, ten
years ago, imported 6,000 or 7,000 packages, chiefly prints representing
on an average £20 per package, the firm now imports from 1,500 to 2,000
packages, and is turning its attention to the southern line of trade.
Castelli previously imported 400 to 500 packages, representing value
of £15,000. This firm now imports little or nothing.
Stevens previously imported 400 to 500 packages of woollen goods,
now they bring in from 200 to 250, valued at £10,000. Their silk tissues
C300GSB