'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎385] (438/714)

THE NORTHERN PROVINCES gg,,
former self.' The silk trade, however, which continued to flourish
t.ll the last twenty-five years, enabled Resht to raise its head more
quickly than any of its neighbours. It was a flourishing town in
the mnldle part of this century, and many English travellers have
occasion to recollect the hospitality of the firm of Ralli, who kept
a large establishment here, and maintained a country house in
almost European style. With the collapse of the silk trade thev
disappeared and the fortunes of Resht experienced a seusibi;
decline. 1 he counterbalancing increase, however, in the cultivation
and export of rice and cotton have caused it to revive, and the
population is now calculated at from 25,000 to 30 000. The
situation of Resbt as the chief maritime outlet on the north must
always render it an important place, quite apart from the trade of
the province whose capital city it is. For instance, in 1878 the
last year m which published statistics are accessible, the exports to
Russia from the province of Gilan, via Resht, equalled 192 000? •
while the exports from the rest of Persia through the same Custom-
ouse were only 4,000/. less ; the internal trade between Resht and
the Persian interior amounting to 143,000/. in the same period.
Anyone who has followed me so far, will by this time be ex
pecting the statement, that considerable as is the trade of Resht,
Possible ^ m ight be increased and, in all probability, doubled, did
mentT 6 " tlie Persiau s take the most elementary steps to expedite
. or facilitate ^ ts transit. It is safe to say that in no other
country m the world would the main avenue of mercantile entrance
and exit be left in so miserable and chaotic a condition. The bar
at Bnzeh the entrance to the Murdab, or Lagoon, the anchorage
therein, the ascent by creek to Pir-i-Bazaar, the road to Resht, are
so many successive and undisputed obstacles to freedom of inter
course. In any other country the bar would have been dredged
steamers would have been admitted into the lagoon, jetties
wou d have been built for lading and unlading therein, the
creek would have been deepened and widened, or a canal con
structed to Resht itself. Above all, the marsh and forest
roads would have been kept in good repair. The question of
rai communication with the interior is one that has fre
quently been mooted, and was once on the verge of beine- put
mto execution, the embankments being built, and even the rails
being laid for the distance of a few miles from Resht; but this is
a subject which I must reserve for a later chapter. The only