‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎235r] (476/722)

Trade.
Goods are sent from Astrakhan to Bukhara and Khiva, both by land
and sea. Two caravans in the year are, I understand, the extent of the
communication by the former, and the route is so long' and subject to so many
dangers, that no considerable trade could be thus carried on. The trade
by sea is brought from Astrakhan to Mangishlak; but I could not learn bow
many vessels are engaged to Khiva, whence the traders resort to the coast to
make their bargains and dispose of their produce. The distance between
the bay of Mangishlak and Khiva is ten days'’ journey of 25 miles each ;
that to Bukhara from Khiva, from seven to ten more, so that the land
carriage of goods to the former place, after being landed on the shores of the
Caspian, is no such serious matter.
Thus, inconsiderable though the present amount of this trade may be,
it is understood to be on the increase ; and there appears to be rational
grounds for believing that, by judicious management, it may be largely
extended. The population of the countries to which this may be considered
as the port of entrance, though small in comparison with their superficial
extent, is numerically great ; and there are many rich and populous oases
in the surrounding waste. If these should advance in civilisation, if artifi
cial wants could be created among them, they might become great con
sumers of European fabrics. These Russia must supply herself with from
the cheapest markets, until the distant period may come when her own
manufactures shall rival those of England, France, or Germany. Thus she
will become the carrier only to these nations ; and they will reap the benefit
of the inland navigation of the Caspian without the risk of so distant a
commerce.
Nothing would lead so much to widen this commercial field as the con
quest or Khiva by the Russians*—an object they most certainly have in view,
and in which it will be very difficult, even were it deemed expedient,
to prevent their succeeding. That the possession of such a depot on the
eastern bank of the Caspian would be a most important and a gigantic step
towards any design they may be forming against our Eastern possessions
cannot be denied ; and it would be for our legislators to determine how far
it might be possible or politic to oppose it, or whether the good to be derived
from the spread of civilisation, commerce, and security to person ai d
property, that would to a certain degree surely follow such a measure, might
not sufficiently compensate for the uncertain and remote danger which its
success might be supposed to involve.— (Fraser, 1826.)
The following report on the trade of Persian down to the end of the
heading “ Animals,^ is from Persia War Office, Part I :—
In ancient times, when means of communication and traffic were im
perfect all over the world, and when trade was chiefly
Former mercantile earr i e d on by land, Persia, in the neck between the
position of 1 crsia. Caspian and Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , necessarily enjoyed its share
in the commerce passing between east and west, and was able on equal
terms to dispose of its own produce.
But the age of caravans has passed away. Relatively to the rest of the
world, the "commercial routes through Persia have _ become detestable,
and an immense amount of the old land commerce is now carried on by
sea.
* Written by Fraser in 1826 !