'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎154v] (313/610)

tions between the firm and the Persian Government, and the
British representative was withdrawn.
Some British and other financial groups negotiated for the
purchase of the Fisheries Concession but without result. The
LionosoS Concession was annulled by the Persian Government
and a fresh lease was granted to a Russan named Vanitseff who
gave a half interest to Tumaniantz Freres.
The new concern has taken over the fisheries but is working
on a very small scale under disadvantageous circumstances as.
the routes for export are closed and it has been unable to arrange
installation and gear from Messrs. Lionosoff, who will not
acquiesce in the cancellation of their lease. Their employes
meanwhile have been dismissed, the stations are falling into
ruin and the industry is temporarily suspended. (1920)
The markets for the fish and caviare are in Russia and in
Central Europe, the machinery and gear required can be con
veniently obtained only from Russia and large numbers of
Russian employes and fishermen are required to control the
industry, so that its revival depends on the state of that country^
5. Tumaniantz Freres.—They are by far the most important
Armenian house of commerce in Persia, which was established
some 80 years ago. The principal partners of the firm all
resided in Rusgia until a recent date; and the firm in Russia
is of Russian and in Persia of Persian nationality.
The Russian business was chiefly centred in Baku and
Moscow. In Persia their principal offices are at Tehran and
Tabriz, and they have smaller branches and numerous agencies
throughout the Northern provinces.
For some years past the opium revenues of the Persian
Government have been farmed out of this firm at an annual
rental which would have yielded a large profit, had the distur
bed state of the country not rendered it impossible to adminis
ter the tax.
The chief interests of the firm are the export of Persian
produce to Russia and the import of Russian textiles to Persia,
and a banking business. They are also estate agents or farmers
of their revenues for many Persian landowners.
They have some forest and mining properties in Tehran,
Gllan, and Mazandaran, and own extensive lands at Enzall
and Qazian. They hold half interest with Vanitseff in the
Caspian Fisheries Concession.
At the present time the firm has very large sums locked up
in raw cotton and other Persian products which it is unable to.