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File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [‎106r] (216/258)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (129 folios). It was created in 1912-1916. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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13
The imports of Bushire and subordinate ports for 1908-9 (which I select as a
normal year) were valued at 793,4651; deducting 200,000/. of this amount as probably
destined for Ispahan, it would appear that the consumption of foreign imports by the
people of tars per head is about the same as the average for the whole of Persia In
weight, imports aggregated 19,537 tons at Bushire in 1909-10 and 9 225 at Tino-nh
a total of 28,762 tons, of which not less than 20,000 were probably destined for Shfraz’
or the hinterland, and may, consequently, be taken as prospective traffic for a railway'
The large increase in exports resulting from the construction of a railway would brinz
with it a corresponding increase in imports, and it is not unreasonable to expect
40,000 tons of imports after the first year or so. r
Exports.
4. The exports from Bushire and subordinate ports for 1909-10 aggregated
6,201 tons, Lingah accounted for another 3,096 tons, giving a total of 9,297 tons for the
whole of Pars ; their aggregate value may be taken at rather less than 500,000/.
But this figure in no way repYesents the probable export traffic that would be
handled by a railway from Bunder Abbas to Shiraz ; the production of cereals, tobacco,
gum, charcoal, wool, and fruit would be greatly stimulated, and it is upon the trans
portation of such commodities that the railway would have to rely for the bulk of its
revenue.
Population served by Line.
5. The principal factor in the production of cereals is population, and, from the
point of view of railway traffic, the population served by (i.e., within 50 miles of) the
line from Bunder Abbas to Shiraz (excluding coastal districts), I estimated at
255,000, resident in the districts and towns shown in the margin ;* of this total about
220,000 live on the sardsir, or plateau (140,000 within 50 miles of Shiraz), the
remainder in the garmsir (low country, say below 3,000 feet). The sardsir districts are
more fertile and better watered, and less liable to drought than the garmsir. This gives
us a total of about 50,000 families within 50 miles of the line; taking 2 tons a family
as the normal surplus of grain available for export (for reasons explained belowf), the
normal grain surplus may be calculated at 100,000 tons. Given peace and prosperity
(neither of which are likely to be seen in Bars so long as it is under the Persian Govern-
*Abraj ..
Afzar ..
Ardakan
Arsinjan
Baiza ..
Bidshahr
Darab ..
Fasa
Istehbanat
Jahrum
Kam Firuz
Kamin ..
K avar ..
Khafr ..
Khafrak
Khunj ..
Khwajai
Kuhmarreh
Kurbal..
Mahin ..
Mai man d
Marvdasht
Niriz ..
Kir-o-Karzin
Kamjird
Sarchahan
Sarvistan
Shiraz ..
Siakh ..
Simakan
1,000
3.000
5.000
12,500
9.000
5.000
10,000
17.000
4.000
7.500
3.500
4.000
2.500
8.000
4.000
5.000
2.000
3,000
10.000
2,500
1,000
10,000
4.000
6.000
4.000
2,500
8.000
70.000
3,000
8,000
20.000
Luristan (say)
. , . • i a thp statistics of some fifty villages
t The figure of 2 tons ffier family in the sardsir is tment an d checked with satisfactory
obtained in 1907 by an official of the Indo-European lelegrap Pf . Af grain to be about 9,000 lbs.
results by the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. in 1911. These statistics indicated t ie pres ava iiable for export. This figure is
a family, of which it is reasonable to suppose that 2 tons won d avai^bm
confirmed by statistics quoted for 1893 (authority not known) in rne x- • ^
[2619 i—l]

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Content

The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, notes, and maps relating to the development of railways projects in South Persia and the associated marine surveys of Gulf ports, notably Bandar Abbas and Bushire.

The volume includes the report of Lieutenant Arnold Talbot Wilson on the technical issues concerning development of railway lines between Bushire and Shiraz, and Bandar Abbas and Shiraz. Also included is a report on the commercial possibilities of these two developments, compiled by Commercial Adviser, H G Chick. These reports (folios 101-124) are preceded by an accompanying summary and analysis by the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Percy Zachariah Cox.

Also discussed in the correspondence is the question of concessions for railways in the neutral zone and the relative advantages (climate, water supply) of Bushire and Bandar Abbas as railway termini in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . The correspondence also features discussion of a rumoured German scheme for a Bushire-Shiraz railway.

Further discussion surrounds the arrangements for marine survey work in the region of Henjam and Bandar Abbas to be undertaken by the RIMS Palinurus. A report by the Captain of the Palinurus, Captain B W Mainprise is included along with three marine survey maps (folios 48-50).

The principal correspondents in the volume include: the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and Consul General for Fars (Lieutenant Colonel Percy Zachariah Cox); (Lieutenant Colonel Stuart George Knox); First Assistant to the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Captain L Birdwood; Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department; Under Secretary of State, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. ; Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Edward Grey); Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Louis Mallet); Director, Royal Indian Marine, Walter Lumsden; Officer Comanding, RIMS Palinurus ( Captain B W Mainprise); Secretary to the Government of India, Marine Department.

The volume includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, year the subject file was opened, subject heading, and list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (129 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume. The subject 4648 (Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports) consists of 1 volume, IOR/L/PS/10/316. The explanation of the cover sheet/divider at the front of each volume (regarding the correspondence series numbers which have been put together to form the volumes) will be given in the Scope and Content.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 127; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Written in
English in Latin script
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File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [‎106r] (216/258), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/316, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100045943905.0x000011> [accessed 19 March 2024]

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