Skip to item: of 252
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

Reports and Correspondence Relating to Persia, Including Trade and Trade Routes in Persia [‎7r] (13/252)

The record is made up of 1 file (124 folios). It was created in 22 Nov 1900-20 Apr 1905. 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

GENERAL REPORT ON BRITISH TRADE AND ENTERPRISE.
9
localities : in parts of the south, elsewhere referred to, extreme hardship has
been reported and in Ghilan and Khorassan unusual prosperity. This year
the southern harvest is more favorably reported on.
I consequently think that the prospects of trade are encouraging. In
Section III of this Report, pp. 15-48, I have endeavoured to furnish informa-
tion on each article of trade, and do not venture to pronounce as to the parti
cular lines of commerce likely to be remunerative. We have traders already
engaged in business in the chief commercial ventres of Persia, actively com
peting with each other and with foreign importers, and ready to take
advantage of commercial opportunities. I do not by any means wish to imply
that there is not scope for further commercial enterprise in Persia, but desire
to point out that any such venture should be duly considered, and neither
capital nor merchandise rashly consigned to Persia without previous inquiry as
to the prospects of successful business in the particular line concerned.
Cases of imitation of trade mark have been brought to my notice,* but
this question does not appear to constitute a marked grievance in Persia.
Industrial and manufacturing enterprises in Persia have rarely met with
success. The number of such undertakings of any magnitude which have -
survived more than a year or two is small:
The Caspian Sea Fisheries Concession.
The Lumber-wood Concession in Mazanderan.
The Rail and Tramway Company of Teheran.
The Imperial Bank of Persia.
The Banque de Prets de Perse.
Carpet-^making as conducted in Persia can hardly be described as a
manufacturing enterprise, but it has proved successful, and might offer scope
for further organization.
The Banque Internationale de Commerce de Moscow has withdrawn from
Persia.
The enterprises which have failed to succeed in recent years are more
numerous. The great cost of installing machinery on account of the heavy
freight on inland transport, the cost of fuel, the inefficiency of labour which,
although cheap, is unskilled and without energy, have been the chief causes of
non-success.
Telegraphic communications are now available at most of the large towns.
As a result of our Indo-European line, the principal towns on the great trade
routes from Teheran to Tabriz, to Meshed, and to Bushire, have now tele
graphic communications, and there are now lines erected and maintained by
the Persian Government to Resht, to Hamadan and Kermanshah, to Yezd
and Kerman, and from Bushire to Shuster and Dizful.f Only Bunder Abbas
remains without connection either with India or Kerman.
The postal service has been much improved under Belgian administration.
There are now bi-weekly services between Teheran and Meshed, Resht,
Tabriz and Julfa, Kermanshah, Bushire, and Kerman, and intermediate places.
A parcel-post to and from Europe via Russia has recently been introduced.
Road construction has made some progress. Roads which have been
constructed or are being undertaken are noted in Section V, pp. 53-67.
I do not find that road construction in Persia has either shortened the time
or lessened the cost of transport of merchandise. The roads already con
structed have been built at great expense, and the tolls collected do not appear
to provide adequate return on capital after providing for current expenses and
upkeep. Wagon traffic has not in any instance driven mule or camel
transport off these roads, and a comparison of rates (Anne x B, pp. 77-79)
shows no marked difference between freight on roads or on similar caravan
routes to the Persian plateau.
* In Tabriz several close imitations (but not identical) of the trade marks of certain well-known British
manufacturers of cotton sewing thread were shown me. Two British firms in Tabriz stated that close imitations
(but not identical) of their trade marks had been made. A British firm in Shiraz mentioned a similar imitation
in regard to one of their goods. uar imitai 'on
t Over the Resht and Kermanshah lines messages can be sent in Roman character. They work fairlv well
in dry weather, and when the operators are in attendance. ^ y wel1

About this item

Content

The file contains reports and correspondence relating to Persia [Iran], including reports on trade and trade routes in Persia.

It includes:

  • A copy of the ‘Report Received from Mr H.W. Maclean, the Special Commissioner Appointed by the Commercial Intelligence Committee of the Board of Trade, on the Conditions and Prospects of British Trade in Persia.’
  • A copy of a letter from Arthur Henry Hardinge, HM Minister at Tehran, to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the Marquess of Lansdowne (Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice), enclosing an annual report prepared by Evelyn Grant Duff, Secretary of Legation, Tehran, on events in Persia during the year 1904
  • Copies of the reports ‘Reconnaissance from Kondi on the Seistan Trade Route via Mashkhel-Hamun and Panjgur…’ and ‘Reconnaissance and Estimate for a Railway from Nushki to the Helmand and thence to the Persian frontier at Bund-i-Seistan’
  • Copies of printed despatches from the Agent to the Governor-General in Baluchistan to the Secretary to the Government of India Foreign Department, forwarding copies of the weekly Diary of the Political Assistant, Chagai (for the weeks ending 16 February, 8 March, 24 March, 31 March, and 24 October 1901, and 31 March and 8 April 1902), and a copy of the report ‘Trade Returns of the Quetta-Seistan Trade Route, for the year 1900-1901.’ by Captain Frank Cooke Webb-Ware, Political Assistant, Chagai
  • Printed copies of the Diary of Captain Robert Arthur Edward Benn, HM Vice-Consul for Seistan and Kain (for the period ending 31 March, 11 April, 30 April, 15 May, 17 June, and 15 September 1901).
Extent and format
1 file (124 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in no apparent order within the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 126; 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

Reports and Correspondence Relating to Persia, Including Trade and Trade Routes in Persia [‎7r] (13/252), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/357, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061375796.0x00000e> [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_100061375796.0x00000e">Reports and Correspondence Relating to Persia, Including Trade and Trade Routes in Persia [&lrm;7r] (13/252)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100061375796.0x00000e">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0003c1/Mss Eur F111_357_0014.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_100000001452.0x0003c1/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image