‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎425r] (848/949)

Dated Cawnpore, the 2nd (received 4th) February 1905.
From—A. Shakespear, Esq., Acting Secretary, Upper India Chamber of Commerce
To—The Deputy Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department*
Commercial Mission to Persia.
I am directed to hand you a copy of the third report received from Mr.
Newcomen, dated Kerman, the 20th December lOOl, dated 2nd, 6th, and 12th
December 1904i.
Dated Kerman, the 20th December 1904.
From Lieutenant-Colonel A. Gleadowe Newcomen, President,
Mission to Persia,
To— The Secretary, Upper India Chamber of Commerce, Cawnpore.
S* -c/f* f
Commercial
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Owing to our short stay at Bahramabad, I was unable to write to you from
thence, and beg to submit my report now as follows:—
Our journey from Saiiadabad, whence I last wrote to you, to Bahramabad,
the capital of Rafsinjan, was a very trying one owing to heavy rain and intense
cold. On the journey we were twice caught in deluges of rain, ourselves and
our baggage being drenched. During our passage over the mountains, dividing
the valley of the Guat Kavir from the Rafsinjan valley, some of our camels
and mules died, owing rather to the trying weather than to the diificulties of
the road. We also lost some of our camel-drivers and muleteers, chiefly from
pneumonia, whilst there has been much sickness amongst my stalf, servants,
and escort. The cold at night has been intense since the heavy rain, the
thermometer falling to 8 C E., indicating 24 degrees of frost.
At Bharamabad, where we arrived on the evening of the 9th, we were
received with great ceremony, the Governor Rafut-ud-Dowla Khan, a cousin
of the Shah, sending out a big peshwag, and coming himself to call upon us
next day.
Through Major Sykes’s foresight and kindness we found a comfortable
house, situated in a garden about a mile outside the town, awaiting us with
cheerful fires lighted, and it was here that we received our visitors, including
the Governor, who dined with us one evening.
We stopped at Bahramabad till the morning of the 13th, and collected
such information, as was available, regarding the commerce and manufactures
of Rafsinjan, and introduced the merchants to India and its manufactures by
showing samples to them. The leading Parsi merchant of the place, Mulla
Gudarz” a partner in the firm of Kai Khusru Shahjihan of Bahramabad,
Yezd, Shiraj, and Tehran, has sent samples and letters to the various
branches of his firm, and seems keen on business.
I send a range of samples, with prices, of the principal products of the
Rafsinjan district, and of the principal imports, on vv Idch 1 will make a few
remarks. 1 also append two enclosures, of which A will give you our itinerary
from Saiiadabad to Kerman, and B the names of the leading merchants in
lafsinjan.
The population of the Rafsinjan district is put down at about 60,000, that
f Bahramabad, the capital, being about 9,000, some say 12,000, but there are
o records to go on.
Transport. —Almost all carriers’ work is done by camels or donkeys, don-
;eys doing the journey from Bunder Abbas to RaLinjan on an average of 25
ays, camels taking about 40 days.
Tne cost of carriage per kharwar, or 100 Tabriz maunds, varies greatly,
anging from 6 J to 12 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. for the journey between Bunder Abbas and
tafsinjan according to season and demand.
PRODUCTS AND ExPOETS.
Cotton, raw .—Three thousand kharwars are produced,
sed at home, the rest being exported mainly north, thro g