‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎43v] (85/949)

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REPORT ON TRADE OF PERSIA.
The donkey is not much used for transport of foreign goods ; it carries
too small a load, and is not big enough to keep valuable merchandise clear
of water and mud. Iron bars, copper sheets, other metals, and merchandise
which can be conveniently split up into small loads are, however, forwarded
by donkey. On the Bunder Abbas route it is much used.
The mule caravan is very largely employed, and is everywhere available,
except on the great desert tracks from Bunder Abbas, Kerman, and Yezd, to
Southern Khorassan and Seistan.
The camel caravan is the best and cheapest form of transport, and
competes successfully even against wagon traffic on the Resht. Ashkabad,
and Erivan roads. The abominably rough and stony surface of the Bushire-
Shiraz route keeps the camel caravans off that track ; they have, however,
negotiated the steep gradients of the Ahwaz route, where the surface is
better. {See Annex C., p. 80, for note as to keep of mules and camels.)
The packing of merchandise destined for inland Persia must be such as
will adequately protect the goods against weeks of exposure to burning sun
in summer, or rain, snow, and sodden ground in winter. The packages
forwarded by mule caravan will have to endure rough handling, through
animals falling or colliding with others, or from tired or careless “ charvadars ”
letting packages fall to the ground from the animal’s back when unloading
nightly.
Packages transported by camel caravan suffer less in this last respect, as
the animal kneels to be unloaded. Packages forwarded by wagon get much
chafed by the bolt heads and other protections on the rough boards, or by
other packages. The wagons are expressly constructed to allow of much
play amongst the different parts. It is asserted that packages suffer more
from wagon than from pack transport.
All pack animals carry their loads in two packages of approximately
equal w r eight, slung by cords across the pack saddle. No package, therefore,
must exceed half the total weight of the load. Bales are less fatiguing to
the animal than cases, because they cling closer to the saddle and conse
quently get less swing on during movement. They are also easier to handle,
and are of convenient shape.
The charvadar likes to have a small proportion of packages lighter and
heavier than the average to suit the varting strength of his animals, but this
is to be considered only in consignments of a large number of packages at
one time.
Bales for mule transport should weigh from 175 to 200 lbs., and the
majority of them should be about 182 lbs., except on the Ahwaz-Ispahan
route where the weight should not exceed 165 lbs.
Bales for camel transport should weigh from 250 to 300 lbs., and on the
Trebizond-Tabriz route the majority of them should be about 287 lbs. On
the Ahwaz-Ispahan route they should not exceed 275 lbs., and cases should
average 220 lbs.
Cases should weigh 10 to 15 per cent, less than bales, and an oblong
form is preferable. The rate of transport for cases and sundries is always
more than that for bales, usually 15 to 20 per cent.
A statement of average rates of cost of transport is given in Annex B.
(PP- 77 ' 79 )-
Very bulky or heavy goods pay exceptional rates, and within moderate
limits can be transported by litter (“ takhterawan ”), slung on two mules
harnessed to shafts projecting fore and aft. A safe of modest capacity by a
well-known British maker has lain for the last year or two in the middle of
the third stage out from Bushire abandoned by a gang of porters who had
rashly contracted to transport it to Shiraz. Wagoners on the Resht and
Ashkabad roads charge special rates on heavy or bulky packages which
cannot be handled by two men.
Packing.
It does not appear probable that the British merchant has anything to
learn from the Russian as regards packing of bales or cases. Consignees
of Russian goods complain very bitterly of careless and inadequate packing.