'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III.' [‎254v] (513/982)

498
KAR—KAR
There has been plenty of cargo for both boats. The iVasraf appears to be
tolerably well run and is on the whole giving satisfaction to the people of
the place.
Particulars of the Nasrat are as follows :—
Stern wheeler.
Length over all approximately .. . . 122
Between perpendiculars .. .. 106'
Beam .. • • — • • 20
Capacity .. • • • • _ • • tons.
Plus 45 tons on a barge hired from the Rais-ut-Tuj jar.
Passengers about .. .. • • 100
Draft with 45 tons .. .. 2' 9"
The captain is a Baghdadi Christian. The crew, with the exception of a few
Baghdadis, are Arabs. She moors at a wharf a little below the custom
house, at the end of the tram-line.
Trade .—The trade of the Karun river is dependent in great degree on the
success of the harvest in the North ’Arabistan; as well as the action of the
Persian Government in regard to the embargo on the exportation of wheat.
Its imposition appears to be exercised with no regard to the prosperity of
the inhabitants, but rather to the advantage of the local Government and
officials. A good harvest with no embargo on the exportation of grain,
although the duty imposed is heavy, causes increased prosperity to the in
habitants, and permits of larger dealings in imported goods. Since 1903
the wheat crops have been poor, and trade has merely held its own for the
three succeeding years. British piece-goods, which are a great feature
among the imports at Muhammareh, have at present no fear from any foreign
competition. Of £95,729 total imports into Muhammareh and Karun ports
in the year 1904, £85,651 were from the United Kingdom, India and Aden :
the country following next being France, with goods valued at £10,294. The
exports from the same ports showed a decrease of £10,288 to the United
Kingdom, India and Aden, and a net decrease to all countries on average
years of £1,681. The freight to London in 1904 ran from Rs. 15 to Rs. 20
per ton, while the freight on goods by river steamer from Muhammareh to
Nasirieh was Rs. 10 (Jcrans 40) per ton. Trade on the upper Karun from
Ahwaz to Shushtar was interrupted during 1904, owing to the insecurity of
the country on the river banks. The caravan trade route from Ahwaz to
Isfahan attracted an increasing amount of merchandise during that year.
Mule hire between these places for freight averaged krdns 2 • 85, about 12
annas per Shah maund of 13^1bs. On the other hand, the trade route from
Dizful to Khurramabad, and thence on to Burujird, has been closed for seve
ral years past owing to its insecurity. This road, even in its unimproved
state, in better than any other caravan route to the plateau of Persia from
the south or south-west.
Irrigation and other works .—The great dyke at Ahwaz, the massive
remains of which are still existent, is commonly attributed to the Sassanian
monarchs. It was designed to hold up the waters of the Karun, which were
then diffused by means of ditches and canals through the surrounding
country, at that time and for long after renowned for its rich plantations of
sugarcane. The ruins of the dams, upon which it is likely that, as at Shush