"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٣‎٣‎٤] (١٧٨٢/٤٧٧)

334
there for 15 years, transferred themselves to Russian protection and becme
the local agents of the new Russian line. The cargo of the "Kormloff' ,
consisted on this occasion of about 1,000 tons of general cargo, and see
brought ten passengers from Europe. At Bandar 'Abbas she discharged
600 bags of sugar, and at Bushehr 7,500 cases of kerosine oil, besides a
quantity of sugar, cotton, silk, piece-goods and crockery, which two Russian
agents remained on shore to sell. At Basrah were landed about 5,000 cases
of oil, wood ready sawn for about 50,000 date boxes, also some piece -goods
and sugar; the two last-named commodities did not meet with a ready sale.
At Basrah the t Kornilofp" might have obtained a return cargo of grain for
Jiddah, but her excessive draught prevented her accepting it as it would
have had to be lightered over the bar of the Shatt-al-'Arab, On his return
to Europe the commander, M. Klassing, was summoned to St. Petersburg
to give an account of the voyage. The results were evidently regarded as
inconclusive, for the drawing up of a contract between the Company and
the Russian Government was deferred. A subsidy for the voyage was paid
at the rate, it is believed, of 4 roubles per sea mile. In July 1901 the
organ of the Russian sugar industry at Kieff drew attention to the new
opening in the Persian Gulf, and announced that the Ministry of Finance
would shortly publish a practical guide book to the Gulf compiled by a
pei sou v, ho had been specially deputed to study the conditions of trade on
the spot.
The Kornilofp sailed from Odessa for the second time on the 11th of
September 1901 and reached Masqat on the 4th of October. Here, dis-
legauling the intimation made by the Sultan on the last occasion, she
pioceeded to fire a salute of 9 guns and demanded that it should be
leturned on the ground that she was a " Government vessel/' The Sultan
was inclined to reiuse, but gave way upon a second salute of 21 guns
being tiied and the Russian flag sent ashore for a return of the compliment.
Ihis matter having been arranged to the satisfaction of the Russian
commander, he weighed anchor and left Masqat precipitately without
dLchaiging any cargo. The '* Korniloff " subsequently called at Bandar
Abbas, Lingeh, Bushehr, Eailiyeh (near Muhammareh), and Basrah ; she
left Lingeh homeward bound on the 23rd of November. At Bushehr the
newly constituted Russian Consulate-General, which owed its creation in
jait at least to the Russian Steam Navigation and Trading Company's
ventuie, was now in existence, having been opened in September 1901, and
as able to assist the Korniloff " in her operations. On this second voyage
Korniloff obtained a full cargo at Odessa and was obliged to decline
offers at Constantinople and Port Said ; she carried six passengers