'General information on Persia for any future edition, 1895' [‎26r] (49/211)

OUR TRADE WITH THE PERSIAN GULP.
7
of opium may be greatly increased to pay for any con
siderable increase in the import of piece-goods.
Passing from this view of our subject, we may note
some of the causes which generally help to increase or retard
trade in Persia. The Persian coast districts suffered much
from a bad harvest during the year, and this not only
prevented the export of grain, but checked the purchasing-
power of the people in reference to imports. There was also
a rebellion of the Baharloo Arabs, which interfered seriously
with the trade of Bunder Abbas, and, again, the cholera
epidemic in the North hindered communication by trade routes
there, and led to the wants of Teheran and places further
North being supplied by imports through Bushire. This was
observable especially in regard to loaf-sugar, of which a
large quantity went north through the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . It is
noticeable, as showing that Russian commercial enterprise is
turning its attention to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , that the “ Soci^te
pour le Commerce et I’lndustrie en Perse et Asie Centrale, ”
a Russian Company established in Teheran, is stated to be
now contemplating opening up trade from the Black Sea, and
through the Suez Canal, with the Gulf ports. The trade of
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , though seemingly large in the aggregate
tonnage of the ports, is mainly carried by a weekly steamer
of the British India Steam Navigation Company from
Bombay. Besides the “ British India, ” a steamer of a new
line, the “ Bombay and Persia," calls about once a month : and
every now and then there is a steamer direct from England.
There is hardly any trade in square-rigged sailing vessels ; but,
of the total aggregate tonnage, a very considerable fraction is
supplied by Arab, Persian, and Bombay native sailing craft.
At the ports of Linggah, Bahrein, and the Arab coast, this is
specially observable, as will be noticed when we furnish the
figures in detail. As yet, and for some years to come, these
boats will continue to share the carrying trade with British
steamers, but they will disappear from the Gulf as certainly as
the old Malay prahus have disappeared from Singapore, and
given place to a large service of small steamers all over the
Archipelago ports.
We may consider now somewhat in detail the figures for
each port, and first for Bushire as the largest and most
important ; observing before we pass on, that if only a
good road were made to communicate with the Karun River
from Ispahan, not only would the volume of trade of the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. be considerably increased, but Bushire itself as
a port would dwindle down. As a haven, or shelter for ship
ping, or for landing and embarking goods, Bushire has no
conveniences. It is, or was, (for it is united now to