Notes Prepared for Reference during Curzon’s Tour of the Persian Gulf, and Other Papers on Persia and the Persian Gulf [‎299r] (597/678)

[This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty’s Government.]
NO. 7. PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY.
ASIA.
[February 24.]
CONFIDENTIAL.
2436
No. 1.
Section 1. \
Sir M. Durand to the Marquess of Salisbury.—(Received February 24.)
(No. 9.)
My Lord, ^ ^ _ Tehran, January 22, 18S6.
I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Lordship herewith a Report by
Mr. Consul Churchill on his visit to Astrabad in October 1895.
I have, &c.
(Signed) H. M. DURAND.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Report on a Visit to Astrabad by Consul Churchill in October 1895.
I LETT Resht on the 5th October, learning that a trading steamer was starting
from Enzeli the same day for Mazanderan. His Excellency the Beglerbegee, the
Farmer of the Customs, was visiting the Mazanderan ports by that opportunity.
Leaving Enzeli at 7'30 p.m., we arrived at Meshedi Ser the next evening, and
landed at 10 o’clock. The wind rising, I deemed it advisable to land all my baggage
for fear of not being able to re-embark the next day. The Beglerbegee, whose guest
I had been on board, remained at Meshedi Ser. The wind having died out in the
night, 1 was able to go on board the next morning. This vessel, the 4< Mikhail/’
belonging to Mussulmans, is the smallest and filthiest and most crowded vessel it
has ever been my fortune to travel on. She had on board over 100 souls, including
the crew. She is British built, J. and W. Dudgeon, of London, being the builders,
and she is 21 years old. She is of about 150 tons burden, and her speed is said to
be 7 knots. Her captain is a Tatar, who knows his work more or less by long
practice. One of his strong points is apparently the use of the steam-whistle.
Me at length arrived at Bander-i-Gez about midnight, and landed without any
mishap, for which the passengers, including some seventy pilgrims, had to be
thankful, for there were but two miserable skiffs to resort to in case of accidents.
I was agreeably surprised at Bander-i-Gez by the sight of a new pier on piles,
which has lately been constructed; it is some 300 yards in length. The firm of
Paniantz have built a fine house at the end of the pier, also on piles. This was
because the Persian Government refused to permit them to purchase land to build
on ; they have therefore built their house on the sea, over which presumably the
Persians have no control. The firm is under Russian protection. A couple of
steamers were in harbour as well as several schooners. A Russian gun-boat was
also riding at anchor close to the shore. She had been at Gez some three weeks.
This vessel is usually at Ashurada, the well-known Russian military station at the
entrance of the bay.
Trade at Bander-i-Gez is in a generally flourishing condition, raw cotton and
dried fruit being the principal items of export; sugar, piece-goods, crockery, and
petroleum those of import.
1 learned at Gez that since the arrival of the new Governor, the Prince Ameer
Tehan Serdar, the road between Gez and Astrabad was quite safe, and that there
was no fear of Turkomans, and that it was unnecessary for me to be attended by a
special escort, as heretofore. I consequently only took a couple of men with me as
guides, and the road being dry, I did the'8 farsakhs (32 miles) in five and a-half
hours.
On my arrival at Astrabad T exchanged visits with the authorities and my
Russian colleague.
The town of Astrabad is tranquil, and there seems to be no more fear of
Turkoman raids, reprisals, or fights in the neighbourhood of the town.
[1018 m—1]