'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART II: L to Z' [‎317v] (639/988)

937
SHI—SHI
for most months of the year at Bushire. The Russian Consulate is also
situated to the north-west of the city, but on its immediate outskirts.
A French Consular Agent has been appointed for the first time and as
lately as 1905.
The Indo-European Telegraph Company have one of their most important
branches located, as mentioned above, in the Bagh-i-Shaikh. The admin
istration of the line, from Shiraz southwards to Bushire and northwards
as far as Abadeh, is invested in the Superintendent in charge. Telephone
communication is kept up southwards with Dasht-i-Arjan and northwards
with Sivand.
The Imperial Bank of Persia also has one of its chief branches established
here, in charge of a manager with several European assistants. This Bank
was established in 1889 under a British Royal Charter, a concession for
its formation having been granted by the Shah to Baron Julius de Ruyter.
It is for all practical purposes the State Bank of Persia and enjoys the
monopoly of issuing a paper currency. The notes thus issued are only
guaranteed negotiable with the branch of issue ; but to a reasonable amount,
by arrangement, they are practically negotiable at all branches. The
offices are located in the western portion of the city ; while the residences
of its European officials are in the Bagh-i-Nau, situated in the fine avenue
leading through the suburb of Deh-i-Buzurg, about half-way between the
archway through the Quran Hivdeh Man and the Isfahan gate of the
city.
Climate and Sanitation .—The plain of Shiraz, dotted with gardens and
small villages, well watered and highly cultivated, is girt about with
barren mountains, snow-capped during the winter months; but with
the exception of the Kuh-i-Barfi to the west, seldom retaining any
vestige of snow after May. The climate is, on the whole, dry, though
heavy dew falls in the spring, and during the cold weather there is a
moderate rainfall. The winter, lasting from the beginning of December
to the middle of February, is usually not severe, though it generally
freezes at night, with occasional heavy falls of snow. On the plain this
seldom remains for more than a few days at a time, though the sur
rounding mountains are snow-capped for some months. The weather
in spring is very genial and pleasant, but the sun begins to be hot in the
middle of the day in April. July and August are the hotest months, but
fortunately the nights are comparatively cool, especially in the open. All
travelling from May to September is usually done in the early morning or
evening, and this holds good throughout the interior of Persia. The direct
rays of the sun are felt through the day rarifying the atmosphere out of
all proportion to the general temperature. The temperature seldom
remains at a high degree for more than three or four days at a time; but
a south-west wind during the summer months is often unpleasantly warm
and relaxing. In spite of the praises lavished on the climate by former
travellers, there seems little doubt that it is often trying to Europeans, and
there is a consensus of opinion amongst residents that the climate is less
good than at first sight appears; though excellent in winter and spring,
it is spoilt in the summer and autumn by the prevalence of malarial
fever. There was a severe cholera epidemic in 1904.