'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for the Years 1915-1919' [‎163r] (332/396)

jPOIl THE TEAR 1919. ^ *
^ a " Cn , d ™ Ce at the Cllarit al)le Dispensary for the year
amounted to 0,070, a sligQt decrease over the previous year.
(d) Prevailing diseases were eye and digestive disorders; malaria was
also very prevalent. One case of Blackwater fever occurred, but the mtient
recovered. There were no epidemics. ' ^ F 1
(e) Tempejatures.—In the Maximum temperature 110 on 30th
May. Minimum temperature 52 on 28th January, llainfall was verv bad
aud could not have exceeded 3 inches during the whole year.
The late Mr. J. H. Bill, C.I.E., I.C.S,, late Deputy Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. ,
Miscellaneous. ' visited the port on two occasions, and one
Vlslt was paid by Lieutenant-Colonel
A. P. Trevor, C.S.I, C.I.E., the present Deputy Political Pbesident.
Brigadier-Genera 1 Elsmie also visited Bandar Abbas once during the year
and inspected the Military Camp.
Three aeroplanes stopped at Bandar Abbas during the year under review.
Avlalk)n . The first being the " Old Carthusian a
Handley Page machine, which flew from
Ipswich to India with Brigadier-General McBwan and Major MacLaren;
both of the Royal Air Force. The second \ias a small 1915 " Caudron"
fitted with " Bhone " motors and pilot/ed by Monsieur Etirnne Poulet, and
the third a <f Vickers Vimy" driven by Captain Sir Boss Smith and his
brother, who were completing for the Austrian Government prize of £10,000,
for the first Australian machine flying from England to Australia in 30 days.
Second-Lieutenant P. L. Biancalani and two Italian mechanics arrived
. , . , here on 22 nd October to make necessary
preparations for the projected flight from
Home to Tokio.
There was a falling off in imports and exports during the calendar year
as compared with 1918. This is chieflv
Trade nnd Commerce. i ji px ji j _ ji"
attributable to the tact that the
caravan traffic on the Bnshire-Shiraz Eoad, which had been interrupted for
several years, was again resumed. The figures are not gi^en as the statistics
are only made up for the Persian official year ending 21st March 11J19.
The export carpet trade was brisker than in 1918, owing to greater
facilities in shipping offering. In this connection a certain amount of trouble
was experienced owinff to the Customs authorities maintaining that 60 per
cent, of the Kerman carpets contained aniline dyes. The persons, appointed
by the Customs Administration to test the carpets, were totally incompetent
to do so properl}'' and this was reported by His Majesty's representative.
The Manager of the Oriental Carpet Manufacturers. Limited, a isited Bandar
Abbas towards the end of the year en route Europe, and proved to the Customs
officials that the carpets made by the firm contained only vegetable dyes.
(а) Kuhm Island Oil Wells —During the year 1919, the depth of the
boring "was increased from 2,^00 teec
British interests. ^ 2,600 feet. This slow progress was
due to unexpected difficulties encountered in the well ; to the sickness of the
staff, and to"the long distance from the Base of Supplies. Instructions were,
however, received by the Manager at Kishm Island to carry the boring to
the maximum depth possible.
(б) Kkhm Island Sulphur 2)«po»»<«.-Thougli ..'XrCJfa
Government to the Anglo-Persian Oil Company to wort Ounce run"
in April 1918, it was not found possible to fxtoct much Ounce
sulphur till June 1919, since which date about 40 - . J
the close of the year. 'Ihis was due to the paucity and inexpenenee ot
local labour.