Coll 28/39(2) ‘Persia. Printed Correspondence, 1937–’ [‎146v] (292/320)

22
The arcli$ological expedition of the- University of Chicago closed its work
at Persepolis in November and the Iranian Department of Antiquities took over
charge of the excavations.
Weather Report .—The maximum temperature was 98°F. on July 31st and
August 23rd. ^
The minimum temperature was 27°F on February 28th. Total rainfall for
the season 1938-39 was 14-50 inches in Shiraz as compared with 16-18 inches in
1937-38 and 10-27 inches in 1936-37.
Normal weather conditions prevailed throughout the year.
(15)
Letter from British Legation, Tehran, No. 51, dated 19th April 1940.
Tehran despt. to F. 0., No. 115 of 19th April 1940.
Enclosure to Serial No. (15).
Despatch from British Legation, Tehran, to F. 0. r No. 115 (239[10f40),
dated 19th April 1940.
I have the honour to inform you that a census of the population of Tehran
and its suburbs was taken on the 1st March 1940. This is the first time that a
census, conducted in anything like a scientific manner (i.e., a counting of heads
within one single day), has ever been taken in this country, with the exception
of an experimental census, done last year in the town of Kashan, as a preli
minary to the completion of plans for that of Tehran.
2. (Questionnaire forms were delivered by the police to householders a
number of days before the date of the census. These forms had in general to
be completed before the census, and returned to the authorities, who made a
house to house visit on the actual day of the counting, and compared the com
pleted 1 orms with the actual facts. Each resident was required to remain
between the hours of 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. on March 1st within the bounds of the
house from which he had submitted a form, unless a special pass (for doctors
midwives, etc.), had been obtained beforehand. All shops and businesses,
including those purveying daily necessities, were closed throughout the dav.
i s, .on ever, the appointed day was a Friday, and an oriental population is
we 1 accustomed to fending for itself, the dislocation was not very greatly
r it F t fi , r , St f l ffnre 0 ® claI1 y announced in the Ministry of Justice Gazette
for the 0th March was Sol,2411. Tins was amended in the issue of the 28tii
March to ,>40,087 as a result of “ a detailed examination of the census forms ”
No details were given. This is stated to be “ actual ” population of Tehran
and its suburbs on March 1st, “ actual ” being defined as exclusive of normal
csidents who were absent on that date, and inclusive of non-residents who
! >rose f nt - P e opy available definition of “ suburbs ” is “ up to six
' 'Uf fPwif Clt i y ’ thlS P res “ mabl y m eans from the edge of the urban
™th JX, f ‘ it day i S WaS fX 1,15, defined b y the now demolished walls,
tivMv l,,nwA QV 6 C re ’ ai 'n 11 X uld exelud,i the sum mer stations collec
tively known as Shimran, as well as Shahr-i-Bey (Shah Abdul Azim).
tion of jt! the , preSS tl ! at a eensus taken in 1884 Wealed a popula-
w fl et iX 2101 ,m Pt, 1 ! P“ ntln « s ‘ n P 92 . 1922 and 1932 resulted in
records^ovtrinwhf 1 rif nd X.U res P ec t lveI y- 1 am not in possession of
1930 it Ui X '^^l three °i f - these oecasl °ns, but from those available for
Kuropean cent s bnf . C0Unt,] ! g WaS n0t done in the strict manner of a
fi<Xes hot "h thJ * ?P read over a considerable time. These earlier
tion uV thospttntn y may well represent approximate statistics of the popula
tion at those dates, must therefore be taken with reserve.
that Tehrau^has^reattvt’ Wbde i due allowance for the evident fact
under the present rem'm l 1 ''T'f !*u • / a 16 e *P ense °f several provincial towns)
bv as much as 230 finhX’ ‘ nn P osslbIe ^ believe that it has increased
amounraTpresentto nv„ f h , t r year ? I ,- (nearIy , 80 P ers0, >« Per day), or that it
inent of the citv 'inrl it . r ' a a v mdlion souls. A great deal of the develop-
} nd its environs has been in the direction of substituting wide