"تقرير عسكري عن جنوب غرب بلاد فارس، يتضمن أقاليم خوزستان (عربستان)، لورستان، وجزءًا من فارس" [‎٣‎٠‎٩] (٤٦٦/٣٥٤)

309
R oute N o. 4 — concld.
'prom Isfahan to BehhaMn and Bandar-Dildmy ^.—concld.
*8
D istances in
miles.
is
&
Time.
Names of towns, villages, &c.
Interme
diate.
Total.
Remarks.
i
19
P. M.
12-25
Bandae-i-Dilam ...
Long. 50° 9' E.
Lat. 30° N.
24
415
Passes over a sticky mud flat to Ban-
dar-i-Dilam, a small seaport village of
about 200 inhabitants.
and partially so in a south-eastern (Persian Gulf Pilot).
Classifying the road with reference to its capabilities of being converted into a cart-
road, 12' to 15 wide in the hills and 25' to 30' wide on the
PUam and^sfahan-Shiistarf 11 ar ' lGvel into good, fair and bad (see 'pages 169, 218 238J between
Isfahan and Ardal, 102 miles, 46 miles are classed as good,
41 miles as fair and 15 miles as bad; the cart-road assuming the rates already given and
allowing for an increase in its length of 18 miles, at Rs. 500 jper mile, on account of
diminished gradient, would cost about JRs. 21,500. Judging from the account given of
ihe road between Ardal and Shustar, 173 miles, it is considered that this section of it
could he converted into a cart-road at a cost of Rs. 58,000 or at a total cost from
Isfahan to Shustar of Its, 79,500, an average of Rs. 26p per mile, allowing for an increase
in its length of 25 miles on accoun t of diminished gradient.
Between Ardal and Bandar-Dildm, 313 miles, the road has been classed as 146 miles
good, 97 miles fair and 70 miles bad; the cost to convert it into a cart-road as above is
Rs. 82,620, allowing for an increase in its length of 70 miles, at a cost of Rs. 500 per mile,
on account of diminished gradient, i.e., at a total cost from Isfahan to JBandar-Dildm
of about Rs. 104,000 or Rs. 215 per mile on the average.
For general remarJcs on the advisability t or present necessity of cart roads in Persia,
see page 172.
None of the estimates given include the cost of building caravanserais. It is assumed the
cost of ferries over rivers, where it is necessary to establish such, will be defrayed by tolls
levied on passengers, animals and goods, passed over by them,
By throwing wire ropes across the rivers most difficult to ford their passage by rafts
would be a simple matter.
The construction of bridges with road bearers of trees resting on rough timber crib piers
a flooring of fascines would cost next to nothing and yet be an inestimable boon to all
M travellers. All the rivers and streams met with on the line just
sian rivers. bridging Per " described between Isfahan and Bandar-Dilam could be so spanned.
But no governor interests himself in the matter, custom has blunted
the people's sense of the want of them, and moreover they are most ignorant in all such
Blatters. These remarks upon the ease with which rough bridges can be thrown over
ersian rivers is of very general application.