‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎188v] (375/949)

The commercial importance of the first two linf s cannot be great, as the
trade of the chief ports of the Bay of Bunder Bushire, namely, Lingeh, Hunder
Abbas, and Mohammera, amount to—
£
Imports! 2,091,224
Exports 1,273,770
Total . 3,364,994
Adding the imports of goods by land through Seistan into Khorasan to the
amount of 130 , 282 £., we shall obtain a grand total of annual trade 3 , 495 , 976 ^.,
that is, about 32 , 000,000 roubles.
It is impossible to reckon on the development of local traffic in the near
future, in view of the thinly-populated state of the country, topographical
conditions, and political situation.
These lines can have no political importance, as the outlet to the Persian
Gulf will not give Russia convenient com tn uni cation to the ocean : first,
because there is not a single good natural harbour in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; and,
secondly, because the English have complete possession of the Gulf, the Straits
of Ormuz, and the Muscat shore, having a permanent fleet in these waters and
Indian troops at hand.
The outlet to the Indian Ocean at the Bay of Chahbar, the only natural
Persian port, has more advantages politically, as it will create direct commu
nication with the ocean.
Local freights with this direction are also not to be reckoned on, even in
the most distant future, as the country traversed by the line presents a series of
barren, stony, poorly-watered upland valleys, limited on the west and east by
mountain ridges and salt deserts.
The revenue of the line in the directions indicated can be secured only by
transit traffic of passengers and valuable goods requiring rapid conveyance from
Europe to the Ear East, India, Africa, Australia, and back.
The question of transit is so complicated that to judge of its profitableness
for the line is only possible after careful investigation of contemporary traffic of
passengers and goods from Europe and back in the directions indicated.
In conclusion, it is still necessary to add that in general the construction
of a line through Persia to the southern ports will be profitable only on
condition that Russia has the right to impose customs duties, as, in the contrary
case, these routes—while facilitating access to the country for foreign goods—
will injure our trade not only in central but in north Persia.
Considerations on the choice of Direction and Calculation of the Working of
the Projected Lines.
In accordance with the instructions given by the Railway Construction
Office, I have investigated the following directions for connecting the Trans-
Caucasian Railways with the Persian towns of Tabreez and Resht, with a
view of selecting the most convenient route from Trans-Caucasia into
Persia :—
( 1 ) Erom station Kivrag or Shah Takht of the Erivan-Julfa line through
Khoi, Dilman to Tabreez, 302 versts in extent.
(2) Erom station Kivrag or Shah Takht through Maraud to Tabreez,
240 versts.
(8) I’rom the station of Julfa, of the Erivan-Julfa line, 56 versts.
( 4 ) Erom the station of Evlakh of the Pabu-Tiflis line, through the
Aslanduz post near the town of Jebrail to the Pesian towns of Agar and Tabreez,
423 versts.
(5) E'rom the station of Allat of the Babu-Tiflis line to Resht, 345 versts
long.
Upon a comparison of the above-cited directions, it appeared that to
connect the chief town of western Persia (Tabreez) with the system of rail
ways, the most advantageous direction was through Kivrag, Khoi, and Dilman,