File 1283/1913 Pt 5 'MESOPOTAMIA TRADE Issue of new Trade Report' [‎119r] (233/270)

(4) That special rates for freight subsidies and rebates should be given, if necessary^in
order to oust Rusian goods, where they came into competition with British
goods: that shipping companies and railways should do their share by granting
special and reduced through rates for goods intended for Bandar Abbas and
Bushire.
(5) That the Imperial Bank of Persia should open more branches, for instance, at
Bandar Abbas and Bam. The bank might well follow the example of the
Russian Bank and assist the Persian trader in the matter of customs dues; also
by keeping price lists and samples, by accepting and filling orders, and by
clearing and warehousing goods.
(6) That the British consular system should be improved—
(a) That all consular officers should have an intimate acquaintance with
customs methods, should understand business transactions, and should
be acquainted with Persian and French.
(S) That newly joined officers should be attached to the headquarters of a
Consul General for at least one year, in order to learn their work,
(e) That consular reports should contain clear information as to what classes
of goods were required in the various markets, showing the qualities
and ruling freights, together with particulars of competition likely to
be encountered.
{d) That a Commercial Attach^ should be appointed at Tehran, and it should
be his business to carefully study and record all foreign trade competi
tion, routes, etc.
(e) That sample exhibition bureaus should be maintained at the Commercial
Attaches office and at the local Consulates, prices and full details of
Indian goods in these bureaus being clearly marked in Persian, together
with the place of origin and firm from whom obtainable.
(/) A portion of the Consulate Toshakhana presentation articles should consist
of typical Indian products, such as, cotton and half chests of tea done
up in fancy boxes, etc.
(7) That commercial houses, desiring to start trade with Persia, should make a combine,
as far as Southern Persia was concerned, and send out a representative, whose
headquarters in winter and spring might be at Bushire and in the summer and
autumn at Kerman, depots being opened under native management at Yezd,
Bahramabad, Kerman and Bam.
(8) That communications between the coast ports and towns on the plateau should be
improved—
(a) A road, avoiding the Kutals, to be made between Bushire and Shiraz.
(b) A road to take wheeled traffic to be opened from Bandar Abbas, via
Minab and Rigan, to Bam and on to Kerman. This would open up
a large tract of country for the exportation of raw cotton, gum, etc. It
would also permit of the possible exploitation of the mineral resources
of the country, and the erection of mills and factories. Later on, the
road might be extended to Seistan, and a railway might follow the
lame route at least as far as Bam.
(c) From Mohammerah to the interior.
Note, Mr. MacLean thought that an improvement in the conditions,
under which merchandise was landed and forwarded to inland
destinations through Gulf ports, would be one of the greatest
benefits which could be conferred on British trade. He was of
opinion, however, that it was better to devote attention to the
organisation of transport to inland markets, in order to reduce
the time and cost of carriage of merchandise, rather than to
incur heavy expenditure on roads.
(9) That improvement should be made in posts and telegraphs.
(a) That postal communication should be established between Bam and Seistan,
(5) That a foreign parcel post from the Gulf ports to the interior should be
initiated.
(c) That the postage rates for local parcels should be reduced.
(d) That Kerman should be linked with Bandar Abbas by telegraph.
(10) That the possibilities of irrigation undertakings should be examined by a qualified
engineer. An important irrigation scheme appeared to be possible on the