'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia: About 1889-1890' [‎706v] (1433/1486)

years in Teheran is due to the great impetus given to
the foreign trade of Russia by the extension of her
railways, and still more, so far as Persia is concerned,
by the enormous development of steam navigation
on the Caspian, consequent on the application of
petroleum residuum as fuel for steamers. Coal was
so dear that it was only by dint of heavy State sub
sidies that steam navigation could be maintained on
the Caspian at all. Now, the astatki or petroleum
fuel costs a mere trifle, and stokers are no longer
required. Russian imports reach the Teheran bazaars
entirely by way of the Caspian, chiefly through the
port of Euzelli, 230 miles distant, and partly through
Meshed-i-Sar, to which the distance is only 120 miles.
P'nglish imports come either from Trebizond or
Bushire, distant 1000 miles and 800 miles respectively.
By the Karun route the land carriage to Teheran
would be reduced to 485 miles, a difference which
would probably suffice to turn the scale in favour of
English goods, or at least enable them to continue
the present competition.
Ispahan, formerly the capital of Persia, and now
containing about 80,000 inhabitants, is of great com
mercial importance. It is situated in the very heart
of the country in a rich, fertile, well-watered district.
Its distance from Bushire is 520 miles, while from
Shushter it is only 260. Kashan, with about 20,000
inhabitants, where there is a considerable industry in
silk, is 640 miles from Bushire, and 380 from Shushter.
Koom, a holy city and place of pilgrimage, with
cobalt mines in the neighbourhood and a considerable
manufacture of pottery, is 700 miles from Bushire
and 400 from Shushter. Hamadan, situated at the