‘Military report on south-west Persia, including the provinces of Khúzistán (Arabistan), Luristán and part of Fars.’ [‎78v] (161/470)

108
merchant, often concealed the dress of the warrior; indeed, the sad fate of his
predecessor, Husain Khan, would naturally cause him to let alone all manner
of schemes, whether commercial or political [see page 97).
The opening 1 of the Karun would not af first interfere with the Tigris
route into Persia via Baghdad to Karmanshah, this part of Persia not being
readily reached by it ; eventually it would supersede it.
A steamer for the navigation of the river has been purchased at Bre
men; it remains to be seen what use the Persian Government will make of it.
The concession opening the Karun to traffic should also permit the
reopening of the Karun canals; (IV) the latter is not incompatible with the
former, provided the river obstructions are turned by a canal, and irrigation
is required to develop the resources of the plains of Arabistan. It is most
essential to success that both these commercial enterprises be worked by
individuals of the same nationality. Land is productive in Persia in propor
tion to the facilities of irrigating it. To sow other lands, and to trust to the
rain to germinate the seed, is a lottery, and looked upon by devout Mussulmans
as a gambling transaction prohibited by the Koran.
That this irrigation scheme is practicable is certain. By means of a turf
dam constructed about 8 miles above where Muhammerah now stands, the
Ka'b Arab turned the waters of the Karun towards the Kaban district, which,
thus irrigated, produced abundance of sugar, cotton, indigo, sessame, dates,
wheat, rice. The dam being allowed to fall into decay and the Karun to
renew its old course, the Kaban became the parched desert it now is, and had
to be abandoned altogether, and the capital town removed to Dorak or Fela-
yiyah [Robertson). The cultivation of Persian Arabia now alone depends on
rain, or the accidental overflowing of the river.
If I, II, and IV are assured, the improving the road Shustar, Khoramabad,
Kum (HI) into a cart-road is not of the first importance; for, as it exists, it is
a caravan road, and not very difficult to pack-mules, bullocks, and donkeys.
The first requirement is to improve it as a mule track.
Even were the cart-road constructed, many years must elapse before an
impoverished people could provide themselves with carts, harness, draught
cattle, &c., and before artizans could be formed to construct and repair them, &c.
Best commercial route from the Gulf to Tehran.
Putting on one side the expediency or necessity of constructing a railway
or even cart-road from the Gulf to Tehran, a consideration of the first import
ance is the opening up that route by which goods can be delivered at the
cheapest late fiom tlie Guif in the Tehran markets, using the means of
transport already existing in the country.
The three main routes from the Gulf on Tehran are:
(1) Iiom Bandar Abbas via Karman, Yazd, and Kashan a fairly level
road neatly the whole way, and 280 farsakhs or 920 miles Ion 0 *. To
render it sufficiently wide and level to enable carts to pass over it,
es ^ ma ^ es 1^0 miles will have to be made at a cost
of In,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. (Rs. 60,000).
(2) From Bushire via Firuzabad, Shiraz, and Isfahan, 200 farsakhs or 800
miles long, ot which 80 miles require to be made to render it passable
to carts ; ami the alternative roads vid Kazran and Shiraz, 717 miles
long, ot which 44 miles require to be made to render it passable to
carts (Captain Wells). 1
The former route, passing over a less difficult country, is that which would
be selected tor a cart-road.
The above routes cross desert tracts, and are liable to complete stoppage in
inTsTl-Ta) “ y amon S stthe P»<*-ammals (this occurred