Skip to item: of 258
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [‎120r] (244/258)

This item is part of

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. .

Transcription

This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.

Apply page layout

41
(h. ) Quite apart from the lack of enterprise on the part of the peasanty who are
slack to tdl more than their own needs and to bring their produce into distent markets
there exists a general (quasi-rehgious) aversion on the part of the Persian merchant
classes to buy and sell grain for the European market, ‘ erciiant
°n the other hand, even in the coast districts of Bushire and Arabistan, where it
is easy foi Bi itish firms in the ports to get into personal touch with villages, cultivators,
and sellers, these British farms have never pushed the grain trade, have always regarded
it with gieat caution, and refrained from sending buyers far afield. In Arabistan
“ U1 ' e , 18 t lon g lm « of sea-coast and a network of waterways, 20,000 to
30,000 tons have been the extreme limits of exports for years past.
(i.) Bunder Abbas has no present connection with the grain trade, and has, in poor
years, to buy its own requirements elsewhere. r
len thousand to fifteen thousand tons would therefore, I am inclined to think be a
very liberal estimate of the likely export of grain over the Shim-Bunder Abbas align
ment (and that mostly north of Jahrum) for several years after the completion of railway
construction. J
Similarly, d propos of Lieutenant Wilson’s figures for other available produce—
10,000 tons it should he said that rosewater is produced almost entirely near Firuzabad
at a considerable distance from the Bundar Abbas alignment, while the wild almond
tree from which gum insoluble is produced, flourishes in the mountains in a line from
Jahrum to Behbehan, and is said to be comparatively scarce east of Jahrum.
It is difficult to estimate that a line from Shiraz to Bunder Abbas could count at
its inception on more than some 6,000 tons of exports from up-country, with the addition
of whatever surpluses of grain may he available. It would be a matter of years before
cultivation for export could be expected to produce the quantity of produce raised, for
instance, in Firuzabad and Dashti on the Bushire alignment.
Comparison of Produce: Bushire and Bunder Abbas Alignments : Superiority
of Bushire.
Comparison of possible export trade by the respective alignments may be concluded
by saying that 21,000 tons to 6,000 tons should very fairly represent the advantage of
the Bushire alignment over a Bunder Abbas alignment, under existing conditions to-day,
and there is little doubt that the districts traversed by the Bushire alignment would
respond far more freely and quickly to the advantage of intercommunication brought by
railway transport, so that the original 21,000 tons should be capable of rapid expansion,
in grain more especially.
Bushire has an existing export trade on which it would be easy to build up—
Bunder Abbas has none—in the direction that a Fars railway would take. I do not
think that my estimate of possibilities of increasing the grain trade from Bushire are at
all exaggerated ; the chief difficulty keeping back the few British firms at Bushire is
inability to get quickly into contact with inland buying centres, and 1911-12 has shown
what firms bent on filling ships can purchase if they devote their attention to it.
(b.) Imports.
For considerations of railway transport the import trade of Southern Persia presents
very distinct characteristics to those of the export trade. There is much to hope that
the export of produce would expand immediately with the advent of a railway, for Fars
is distinctly an agricultural country ; hut the consumption of imports from abroad would
continue to be restricted to very narrow limits for a very long period. The majoi
requirements of Southern Persians from abroad are : (1) food-stuffs, (2) clothing stuffs,
and it is impossible to contemplate them generally changing their mode of li\ ing and
dress to a higher standard of luxury till one or more generations have passed. The
settled population of Fars has been estimated to be about 420,000 ; the nomadic
population possibly numbers more than 300,000. Shiraz, Jahium, and the Bushire
peninsula are the only townships computed to have over 20,000 inhabitants. There is,
therefore, little apparent scope for increase in ths present scale ot imports except
perhaps:—
(a.) In machinery.
(b.) In wood and other heavy goods. A . , ... .
(c.) If the Ispahan market were brought into connection by rail uiti that ot
Shiraz.
[2019 i—1]

About this item

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
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [‎120r] (244/258), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/316, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100045943905.0x00002d> [accessed 29 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100045943905.0x00002d">File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [&lrm;120r] (244/258)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100045943905.0x00002d">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x0000d0/IOR_L_PS_10_316_0250.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x0000d0/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image