'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia' [‎573v] (1148/1386)

12
PERSIA.
Houses and
offices for
Messrs.
Lynch’s
agents on
the Karun.
inhabitants of Shuster, and belonging to a family well known
there for many generations. Bazurg Khan was also designer and
builder of the Ahwaz public buildings. His second brother is
Karguzar there, and the third is in a similar position at
Shuster.
Mr. McDouall, the Vice-Consul at Mohamrah, is at present
occupying a house in the town, a place with most unsavoury and
insanitary surroundings, but there is every prospect of the
Persian Government soon building him a residence at the Point,
close to the Government House I have mentioned.
Mr. Richards, agent for Messrs. Lynch, is the only other
European resident at Mohamrah as yet. His place of abode in the
town is as unfavourably situated as Mr. McDouall’s.
Messrs. Lynch appear to be content at present with the
most uncomfortable quarters for their European agents at
Mohamrah, Ahwaz, and Shuster. At the latter place the
Governor indicated a good site on open ground near the river
and his fort residence, where he proposed to build a house with
offices for Messrs. Lynch, and said that the only delay in com
mencement was non-receipt from them of the plans and specifica
tions. He also stated that for the same reason he was prevented
building for them at Ahwaz. I found Mr. Gaskin, their agent
there, occupying a temporary dwelling and store-shed constructed
of poles, matting, and reeds, most uncomfortable in every way,
which had been built for him by the local government, and for
which the unreasonable rent of 50 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. a-month (16/.) is
charged. The whole could scarcely have cost 200 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , even at
the very highest prices for material which at first prevailed there.
The rent is handed over by him to the " Susa” for the running
expenses of the boat. The matter of this wretched construction
and its absurdly high rent formed the subject of strong complaint
by Messrs. Lynch, but I am bound to state that the Governor, in
alluding to it, said the rent was fixed for a very temporary makeshift to
be occupied but a short time, pending the building of a good house
and offices, for the plans of which he was still waiting. He
attributed the whole delay to Messrs. Lynch, and requested me to
make this known.
Agricultural The agricultural resources of the Karun are likely to be
resources: developed with the aid of foreign capital soon. I heard of several
Karun. individuals and parties trying to obtain long leases of land on the
banks of the river for the cultivation of sugar-cane, cereals, cotton,
and the date palm. The point on which a difficulty is experienced
is a sufficiently long period of lease, 60 years being asked and 20
offered. Eventually I have no doubt concessions will be
given to Persian subjects, and sold in part to the present
applicants.
Rumoured The concession for rebuilding the Ahwaz dam, and reopening
concession for the great irrigation canals on both sides of the river there, which
Ahwaz dam was believed to have been granted to a French gentleman, appears
and irrigation to hye lapsed or been dropped. The estimated initial outlay for
WOrKS,