'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART II: L to Z' [‎121v] (247/988)

741
MUH—MUH
the district with its vast natural resources would have been a very different
place to what it is at the present day.
Muhammerah is also the headquarters of the Persian Navy or more cor
rectly Customs Preventive Service, which consists of two steamers and two
small yachts fitted with one or two guns each. The largest of these, the
Persepolis, is the flagship of the squadron. Tradition says that it wa*s
bought from a German firm, who fitted it with a ram to please the Shah
and charged for it accordingly. It is extremely doubtful whether it could
put to sea in safety, though the others are more serviceable.
A Belgian naval officer is in charge of the squadlxm and the crew are
almost entirely composed of Arabs who make far better seamen than Persians
which is hardly to be wondered when their former traditions are considered.
Much has been written of the climate of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Its horrors
are a bye-word amongst officers of the East Indies Squadron and British
India. Bad it undoubtedly is, but Muhammerah enjoys, and deservedly, the
reputation of having the best climate of these parts. Until the end of July
when the south wind commences the climate compares very favourably with
that of the average Indian plains stations. During August and until the
middle of September the climate is excessively damp and trying, while the
thermometer records a temperature several degrees higher than that of
Bombay at its worst. Without this wind, however, the district would not
have gained the reputation it has of producing the finest dates in the world,
for the ripening of the date crop and the arrival of Indian dhows which
come for their annual cargo of date entirely depend upon it. Incidentally,
most excellent soles are to be obtained during these months and form a
welcome addition to the rather indifferent local supplies.
No description of Muhammareh would be complete without mention of
Abadan, a few miles below it on the left bank of Shatt-aUArab. Here are
situated the oil refineries of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company whither the
crude oil is conveyed in iron pipes from the wells at Masjid-i-Suleiman,
some sixty or seventy miles north-west of Ahwaz. This company has
obtained from the Persian Government the right to work all oil that may
be found in this part of Persia, and though founded some years ago it has
only recently extended its export trade outside the Gulf. A visit to the
works will well repay the time spent. The European personnel are without
exception Scotsmen, the natives, who number over three thousand, include
Chinese, Japanese, Arabs, Luris, Bakhtiaris and nearly every class of
Indian. ,
One more item deserves notice, namely, the fact that from Muhammareh
will start the Commission which is to demarcate the actual frontier line
between Turkey and Persia. It is to be composed of delegates from Britain,
Russia, Turkey and Persia, though it is understood that the Russian delegates
will not join the Commission until it has proceeded some distance along the
frontier. Several portions of the frontier require exact delimitation but
it is in the vicinity of Lake Urumiah that the chief difficulty of the Com
missioners will lie. Both Turkey and Persia claim the district under dis
pute, which was quite recently the scene of a skirmish between the Turkish
and Persian troops. It is to be hoped that the Commission will prove more
successful in their efforts than the previous one which met over a decade ago.