‘Military report on south-west Persia, including the provinces of Khúzistán (Arabistan), Luristán and part of Fars.’ [‎80v] (165/470)

172
To put trade on a secure footing, a British Consul is required at Isfahan to regu
late its trade and that of Shiraz, &c. An Armenian agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. ill meets this want.
To rapidly convert the present mule track from the Bala-Rud, vid the Chul
Alternative estimate of an< i Dalich passes, Khoramabad, Burujird, Sultanabad, to
time ami cost of c.n- Kum into a good path suitable for mules, mule-litters,
roads ting mUle aUti Cart an ^ carae ^ s should not, it is estimated, exceed the cost
of 1,000 hill road-making coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. per day for two months.
Allowing the cost of each coolie A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. to be 1 rupee a day, covering all expenses of
importation, &c., the cost of this 345 miles of road would be Its. 00,000 or
15,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , or under 45 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. a mile.
What the road would cost if Persian labour were employed it is impossi
ble to say, as they are altogether ignorant of road-making,—probably five times
that amount.
To widen the above into a cart track (unmetalled) should not cost over
15,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. more, or in all 30,000 tomans— i.e., under 90 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. per mile.
This estimate does not include the cost of masonry bridges or of caravanserais
where they do not exist.
A like estimate, *.(?., 45 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. per mile, applies to the cost of rapidly im
proving the road Shustar to Isfahan across the Bakhtian hills, with reference to
the formation of the pack-animal, but not to that of the cart-road. The letter
would be more expensive. The country passed through is well wooded, well
watered, and generally fertile. The pasture al. ng it is excellent and abundant.
average^ expenditure of 45 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. per mile on the Bandar-Pilam,
Behbalian, Sadat, Isfahan road should sullice to turn it into a good road for
pack transport as above.
It is considered that to attempt to improve these two latter pack-animal
roads into cart-roads, until the exigencies of commerce shall require it, would
be to spend money most unprofitably. It will suffice, in the first instance, to
improve the roads Muhammerah-Dizful-Kum and Shustar-Isfahan. A sort
of cart-road exists between Tehran and Kum.
Along both roads caravans can pass unmolested.
The above estimates are for rapid work by gangs of imported labourers,
and consequently exceed those already given on page 169, in which work
is supposed to be leisurely carried out by contract.
The policy which influences the Shah’s Government with reference
poHcv 8ian PUbliC W ° rks \° P rosecution of Public works, and causes it to
-n+ortoinari p 6 -i SUC ^ a vac *^ a ^ n 8’ nature, is based upon the fear
7“ ot comm <‘ I ;«aI enterprise being used as a cloak to the furtherance
southern neiohf 18 .^Tt 6 ^ art °j ma ^ t erme( l her great northern and
forward to nn l | ssla ani ! ieigland. Many arguments have been put
identical 1th th f h D P ? r6lan J G ?' rernme “‘ ‘ ha t Britain’s interests are
R ussia h,,wev h er h ° Se ° £ Pers,a > , a " d , tha ‘ t*”* a re opposed to those of Russ.a.
her nduenr hi “T closel y 0“ than does Great Britain, and
mind of the ^h , ert ° be ™ fUch as t0 rais0 « reat suspicion in the
s“ Dersistentlv B aS our ffons for desiring so greatly, and of pressing
me.lt of Muh ’niirf 6 " 1 "" “ f the Kamn rl ' ,er to traffic, and of the establish
ment ot Muhammerah as an important entrepot.
it may arslmn'toto ns t aml t” 0 *™ 8 ’ being “ ia ”» d o^to,«l, are not accepted;
^ 211 “ Z r ,be nece f al 'y to enforce their acceptance in the
interests or civilization and progress (,v« page 122).
tion of the Russian naif .° Ur ^^^ ence ^ las ^ een sufficient to cause the rejec-
or with Julfa and Hi P ro Fcts to connect Tehran with Baku vid Astara
pLch proiect trt 7 Wlth ^ Tl i lis - Bak ^ k ne ^ Tabriz, and of
Ahwaz concession. 6 re ' 0 P euiu o of the Karun canals, known as the