"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [ظ‎‎٣‎٣] (٦١٦/٧١)

60
APMINISTEATION REPORT ON THE PERSIAN GCLP POLITICAL
members of the " Societe Israelite " working among the Jews. There are also
branches of this Society at Kermanshah, Senna, Sakiz and Bijar.
Tours. —In October 1905 I visited Senna, Bijar and Hamadan, being
most hospitably treated at all three places.
At Senna I was much struck by the order and cleanliness of the towc
and by the smart appearance of the soldiers in the palace. These may not
appear to be very important, but when the state of an ordinary town in Persia
is considered, it seems truly wonderful.
Everywhere I found that distress, more or less acute, prevailed, though
less in the province of Kurdistan than in either Kermanshah or Hamadan,
In March 1906 I travelled down to Kasr-i-Shirm by the main pila r i m
route. At Kerind I saw some of the rifles manufactured in the town. These
rifles are not at all badly turned out, and cost from 20 to 80 Tomans apiece
(roughly from Rs. 50 to Rs. 75).
At Kasr-i-Shirin I rode out to the oil wells at Chikkar (or Ohiah) Surkh,
the property of the d ? Aroy Company. I found the wells guarded by tribes
men and everything in good order. The wells were both spouting, though not
a very large amount of oil was coming out.
The road from Kasr-i-Shirin to Chikkar Surkh consists of about ten miles
of good going across undulating plains.
The road from Kermanshah to Kasr-i-Shirin is in a shooking condition
after every rainfall, though in fine weather it is passable enough, as it lies for
the most part across open plains.
There is some talk of a Persian Company having been, or being formed
to improve this road. It would be a most excellent thing for trade generally
if some encouragement could be given to this Company. Any money laid out
on the improvement of this road would be a most paying investment, and
expense could be easily recouped by rolls, as the traffic is enormous,—this
road being the main pilgrim route to Kerbela.
The only portion of the road requiring any engineering skill is the pass
Ijing between Sar-i-pul and Surkh-i-Dizeb.
H. GOUGH, Captaifii
His Britanmo Majesty's Consul)
Kermanshah.
Keemanshah ;
The 10th May 1906,