'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia' [‎575r] (1151/1386)

TEHRAN.
15
The Dizful bridge can be repaired to make it fit for carts, but New cart-road
there will be some difficulty ’
bridge without expense in
way for the road.
The repair of the Shuster bridge is far too big a work to be The Shuster
considered at present. In fact, it would seem that the bridging of erossing-
the river there should wait till a railway brings up the material.
Meanwhile, a bridge of boats for eight months in the year, or a
well-organised ferry service should suffice to connect with the
town; and for Ahwaz and Mohamrah, the new road may be
carried down the right bank (avoiding all crossing) to the steamer
landing-place. A strong combined road and river company would
probably go to the expense of improving the Shateit channels at
the one or two places where this is required to make them free and
sufficiently full when the stream is at its lowest, and also to allow
of the steamers passing right up to Shuster.
The road concession binds to the construction of a cart-road Cart-road
the whole way through, and there is now left of the period within Modsfication
which it is to be completed less than two years. Much has yet to suggested,
be done even in lining out the road, and a great deal in the way
of caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). building. It would be of great advantage to the
company, I think, if the concession could be modified so as to
allow of a good mule track, one easy for mule litters to pass along,
being substituted part of the distance for a cart-road, the track to
be eventually improved and converted into a carriage-road.
The company would also consult its interests in economy and Eprintment
efficiency by the early appointment of a traffic manager. Expe- of traffic
rience would be gained on the short sections, which could be manager
profitably applied as the road extended. To leave this matter to advisable-
a later period may, moreover, lead to others in the meantime
stepping in with a rival transport service, for there is nothing in
the concession to prevent this.
I observed the liquorice plant flourishing in great luxuriance Liquorice
and abundance on the Burujird and Khoremabad plains and in the Plant
intervening valleys, and I heard of the plains at Kermanshah being
similarly covered with it. I saw it again at Shuster, but not in
plenty, and I was told there was not much of it lower down in the
Karun valley. But Mr. Macqueen was to observe on his land
journey up from Mohamrah, and is to let me know. The root is
greatly in demand in America for use in preparation of quid
tobacco and fancy drinks, but until the large supply in Asia
Minor, available yet near railways and steamers, is exhausted, the
cost of carriage from the localities I have mentioned would kill all
chance of profit at present prices. The plant is found in some
abundance near Korna, at the junction of the Euphrates and
Tigris, and a French firm collects the root there, sending it by
water to Busrah, to be baled in Messrs. Gray, Pauls’ presses for
export to Marseilles. The short distance from Korna to the port
of sea shipment—40 miles—just makes the business pay, but com
paratively little is done in it as yet.
I reached Busrah on Christmas Day, and left for Bushire on
(1144) B
in getting beyond the town end of the Dizful
buying houses to remove and clear a