‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎22r] (42/949)

GENERAL REPORT ON BRITISH TRADE AND ENTERPRISE.
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 centres bf 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 marks 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The Banque Internationale de Commerce de Moscow has withdrawn from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 ma 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
In , I< J entlcal ) tl ?eir trade marks had been made. A British firm in Shiraz mentioned a similar imitation
in regard to one ot their goods.
in drt 2«L the Re j ht u nd ^ ermanshah ,ines messages can be sent in Roman character. They work fairly well
in dry weather, and when the operators are in attendance. 7 7