'DIARY OF A TOUR IN THE PERSIAN GULF AND IN TURKISH ARABIA, DECEMBER, 1906 (WITH MAP)' [‎12r] (23/106)

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Storehouses.
Roads.
Brick-fields.
Sanitation.
Climate.
Weights : measures : currency.
Banks.
Post and telegraph.
Language.
European firms.
supply of Arabs at Basra would be ample.
Wages about 12 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. a month or 8 annas
a day. , »
There are no store depots. Besides the
sheds noted above, the bottom storeys
of the European houses along the river
front could be utilized. These houses are
two-storeyed and of brick. There is no
stone in the country. . .
There is only one road, made of date
logs, along the south bank of the Ashar
Creek from the river to the town. A
tram line could be laid on this leading
out of Gray, Mackenzie & Co.’s yard ; other
tracks are almost impassable in wet
weather owing to the mud.
There are brick-fields about 8 miles up
the river on the right bank.
There is no attempt at sanitation at
Basra. The inhabitants trust to the tide
entirely to carry off refuse. Fever is pre
valent in September and October. Mos
quito curtains are necessary.
The average heat in summer is 108°
in the shade. Extreme 118°. It is cold in
winter but there is seldom any frost.
The coldest time is in January. The
rainy season is from December to Febru
ary. The prevailing wind is from the
north-west called “ shamal,” which blows
for a month at a time in the hot weather
and is a welcome relief.
The local weights, measures, and cur
rency, with English equivalents, are given
in the War Office report on the Tigris
valley.
The only bank is a branch of the Im
perial Ottoman Bank.
There is a Turkish post and telegraph
office and also an Indian post office at
the British Consulate. Weekly mails are
despatched by the latter, both north and
south. There are no telephones.
The most generally spoken language
is Arabic. The officials speak Turkish
and some of them French in addition.
Hindustani and English are little under
stood. Persian is spoken. Two old sol
diers of Native Regiments are employed
as watchmen by MacAndrew, Forbes &
Co., who might prove useful as interpreters.
One or two of the Consulate Kavasses can
also speak Urdu.
(i) Lynch Co .—Employed in the
carrying trade up Tigris and
Karun rivers.
(ii) Gray, Mackenzie & Co. —Ship
ping Agents.