"دليل بلاد فارس. مجلد III. جزء I: من A إلى K" [ظ‎‎٣‎٢‎٨] (١٢٧٨/٦٦١)

322
FAR—FAR
Firuzabad.—The market town for a large district: not much difficulty
should be experienced in keeping one regiment here; no difficulty in
winter. In fact, one regiment of cavalry or infantry could live on the
country almost anywhere, as supplies would be always obtainable from
villages in the neighbourhood, Iqlid, Mahin, Bawanat, Ardakan, Baiza,
Marvdasht, Arsinjan, Sarvistan, Istehbanat, Darab, ’Alamarvdasht,
Khurmuj, and anywhere in Dashti, Dashtistan, and the other coastal
districts as far as Behbehan would be favourable centres.
Supplies for troops on the march without the consent of the Persian authori-
tieg '—in these circumstances it is conceivable, though extremely unlikely,
that the Persians might lay waste the country, burning all stores of straw,
barley, etc., along the road ; this would not be a very difficult task and
would create serious difficulties except in the spring, when grazing is excel
lent all over Fars and the necessity for grain and straw less urgent. For
these reasons the spring is preferable for military operations. If opposition
is encountered from villages at which it is desired to purchase supplies,
only mountain-guns could effectively break down their resistance and force
them to give up their supplies, which are, as has already been pointed out,
generally scattered in small store-houses all over the village ; it is improb
able however that villagers would offer more than passive resistance to
an invading army.
Supplies for troops stationed at Shiraz without the consent of the Persian
authorities. —The possibility of a general boycott must always be reckoned
with, even if the Persian Government do not actively object to the presence
of the force at Shiraz ; it is therefore undesirable to send a force to Shiraz
which is not in a position, if necessary, to compel the sale of food-stuffs
which it requires. But it must be realised that the force, whether in Shiraz
with the consent of the Persian authorities or not, must be dependent mainly
on supplies of fodder, etc., brought in from outlying districts, either directly
by its own transport, or through native agency ; if disturbances prevail
outside the town, or if the tribes are taking active measures to make a
boycott effective, villagers will be prevented from bringing in supplies,
and prices will rise rapidly, obliging the commander of the force to make
his own arrangements to bring in fodder and food-stuffs, possibly by force
from outside.
For this purpose the best district would generally be the following:
(1) Kavar, mostly owned by Qawamls : very fertile, not subject as a
rule to raids by Arabs or Qashqal.
(2) Khafr, south of Kavar, mostly owned by Qawamls : very fertile,
not subject as a rule to raids by Arabs or Qashqal.
(3) Saristan : fertile, 30 miles S. E. of Shiraz, population adherents of
Qawamls.
(4) Kurbal, Marvdasht, Baiza and Ardakan : all very fertile, but
have suffered heavily of recent years from depredations of nomac s.
Firewood is plentiful near Kavar, and at Khan-i-Zinian and Dashtarjan.
Factors affecting size of force that could live at Shiraz on the country.—*
It has been shown in Chapter I that the population of Shiraz and of t n*