'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎147r] (298/610)

prepared to go from Tabriz to Trebizond with light
loads or for a low rate of hire, owing to the certainty
that tea at any rate would be ready at Trebizond
awaiting transport to Tabriz and that they could
command a lucrative rate for the return journey.
Now Russia was most interested in closing the Trebizond
route, the only non-Russian route to Persia from the North and
the only route left open for British goods, and as soon as she
opened transit for tea through Batum to Persia the result was
felt in Trebizond. Tea was no longer sent there and caravan
drivers ceased to go unless assured of a return transport, and
to effect this, rates had to be raised from krans 200 to as much
as krans 500 per package.
Further to strike a blow at this route and lessen merchandise
available at Trebizond, Russia permitted the transit by Batum
of merchandise by parcel post.
The period of transit by these routes from London to Tehran
varied from 70 to 120 days at a cost in 1913 ranging from £35
to £40 per ton while by the Russian route via Rasht from
Moscow to Tehran it varied from 15 to 20 days at a cost of
£15 to £20 per ton.
These high freights were due to the cost of transport from
the port of unloading in Persia to Tehran.
Routes from the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ports, moreover, were frequent
ly closed owing to the disturbed state of Southern Persia, and
were only passable for pack animals, with the result that in
the course of a few years charges had more than doubled.
The Russian roads on the other hand traversed tranquil
districts and were available for wheeled as well as pack trans
port, so that charges underwent only very slight increase.
In addition to facilitating communications to extend her
own and handicap British trade, Russia undertook various
commercial and political measures with the same object.
To encourage the export to Persia of such of her products as
were subject to British competition in Persian markets, e.g.,
cotton, linen tissues and sugar, Russian exporters were granted
very liberal drawback, amounting in some cases to 15 per cent,
or to 20 per cent, of the value of the goods, of the duties
which had been imposed in Russia on these manufactures.
This state aid enabled Russian goods, which originally were
more expensive, to undersell British goods. Russia also fostered
export trade from Persia to Russia by affording the advantage