Asiatic Quarterly Review (Full Title: The Imperial and Asiatic Quarterly Review, and Oriental and Colonial Record): Volume XIII, No. 26 [‎445v] (15/238)

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The Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
starting from Quetta, within British territory, makes its
way through Beluchistan to Eastern Persia. A third
artery follows the course of the Karun River as far as the
towns of Ahwaz and Shushter, the latter situated at the
foot of the mountains in which it has its source. A caravan
road with steel bridges has been constructed across those
mountains by the British company navigating the Karun.
Starting from Ahwaz on the Karun, it ends at the city of
Isfahan—a distance of 250 miles. The fourth category will
comprise the valley of the Tigris, which has been navigated
by British steamers as far as Baghdad for a period of nearly
half a century. The goods which they convey supply the
Mesopotamian markets and find their way into Central
Persia. I have said nothing of that great trade route
between the Black Sea and Northern Persia which owes its
existence to British initiative and persistent energy. It lies
somewhat outside the scope of this paper, but it enables
the products of Manchester still to compete with Russian
merchandise in some of the markets of Northern Persia.
The extent of our commercial interests in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
itself may be gauged by the shipping statistics. The last
year for which they are published is 1900. Out of a total
tonnage, entering and clearing at the principal ports, of
963,000 tons, no less than 766,000 tons, or more than
three-quarters of the whole, was British. Neither the
Russians nor the Germans are represented at all.
There have appeared quite lately in certain organs of the
press in England a number of articles and letters designed
to familiarize us with the idea of an occupation by Russia
of a port on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . From familiarity to accept
ance the road is not long, if once you can be induced to
enter the path. At the same time a Russian vessel of war
has put in an appearance, following with her searchlights
the movements of our small police-fleet in these waters.
We are naively told that if we could see our way to make
Russia this concession—“ this supremely valuable conces
sion are, I believe, the words—there would no longer