'Report on the Development of the Baluch-Persian Caravan Route and on the Nushki, Chagai and Western Sinjerani Districts, for the year 1899-1900' [‎9r] (17/64)

ON THE NUSHKI, CHAGAI AND WESTEEN SINJERANI DISTRICTS, 1899-1900.
of 966 miles if forwarded by the Bunder Abbas route ; moreover, life and property are safe on
the Nushki-Seistan route, which cannot be said to be the case on the Bunder Abbas-Kirman
section of the Bunder Abbas-Meshed road. It is of course true that as Bunder Abbas is a
sea-port, it oilers trade passing through the advantage of cheap water carriage; yet this
advantage is not so real an one as would appear at first sight, for enquiry shows that a large
proportion of the goods which reach Persia vttf Bombay and Bunder Abbas are despatched
to the port of shipment long distances by rail, which involve heavy freight, transhipment,
commission, and incidental charges, the larger number of which are avoidable in the case of
goods despatched te Persia through Quetta and Nushki.
11. The legend that no animals but camels can survive a journey through the country
west of Xushki is one that dies hard. I notice that Seistanis are using donkey transport to
an extent which is steadily increasing, and that the Babars of Zhob, who yearly visit the
Persian Frontier to collect asafcetida, now rarely employ anything but this class of
carriage. The batches of remounts which come down from Khorassan in the autumn,
and the Cavalry reliefs, which are constantly passing to and fro between Quetta
and Seistan, prove, if nothing else does, that the difficulties and dangers of the road
through Nushki have been exaggerated, and that there is no substantial reason why camel
carriage must necessarily be the only type of carriage employed * I am of a distinct opinion
that the interests of the trade-route would be advanced by drawing the attention of the
Birjand muleteersf to the wage-earning possibilities of the route, and by inducing them to
give the road a fair trial. I am corresponding with Major C. Trench, Her Britannic
Majesty’s Consul in Seistan, on this subject, and I trust that the end of the year will see a
string of mules arrive in Quetta, Once the experiment proves a success the muleteers will
require no further inducement to adopt the road.
* 12. And now to turn to that very important matter, the question of improving the road,
and with it the facilities for the carriage of goods between Quetta and Nushki—a question on
which, in my opinion, the development of trade through Nushki directly hinges. Apart
from the strategical J and political § reasons for connecting Quetta to Nushki by road—and
much could be urged in support of both these questions—the commercial advantages for
making a road appear to me to be very substantial. In my report for the year 1898-99, I
gave in detail my reasons for pressing for the construction of a cart road to Nushki, saying
that all our efforts should be directed towards making Nushki, and not Quetta, the goal of
inward bound, and the starting point of outward bound, caravans, and I explained how
severely the last ninety miles of ascent to Quetta in winter tested camels already weakened
by a long and trying journey. I further pointed out that the delays and expenses incidental
to sending exhausted camels down to Katchi to recuperate operated to delay the despatch of
goods, and to keep the rates for carriage abnormally high.
13. r lhe representations I made in my report were favourably considered in so far that
the Local Government called on the Secretary to the Honourable the Agent to the Governor-
General, in the Public Works Department, to submit an estimate of the cost of making a road
to Nushki, and the Public Works Department was instructed to carry a camel track|| across the
Kurd Barak and Kishingi Kotals. The latter work was taken in hand in December, and carried
to a successful conclusion in February. The road is much appreciated by Krayakashes, whose
camels are now able to negotiate the two kotals without difficulty. I would, however, venture to
submit that the completion^! of this track is merely an important step towards improving the faci
lities for the carriage of goods, and that until Quetta and Nushki are actually connected by a
rough cart road all the objections I pointed out in Appendix II, paragraph 8, of my last year’s
Administration Report will still remain to hamper the development of trade through Nushki.
I understand that the construction of the cart road is opposed on the grounds, firstly, that the
cost of a cart road would, in itself, be prohibitive, and secondly, that experience shows that
were the road to be made it would not be used by carts. I do not think that either of these
objections will bear scrutiny. A katcha road from Quetta to Nushki suitable for bullock * * * §
* The only case which has come under my notice where a horse has succumbed on the road was that of a troop
horse belonging to an escort of the 6th Bombay Cavalry ; but in this case the death was due to pneumonia,
t I be Birjand muleteers work between Meshed and Birjand, and not between the latter place and Seistan, but
there appears to be no substantial reason why they should not do so.
J To point a pair of rails in the direction of the Persian Frontier would have a pronounced effect in modifying
the drift of Russian policy in South-Eastern Persia. Experience shows that the Russians will not meet a firm front.
Many instances could be given in support of this. The natural sequence of the firm stand made by the Government
of India against France acquiring a coaling station on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. littoral is the exemption of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
ports from being included in the provisions of the Convention under which the late Russian loan was advanced to
Persia.
§ General John Jacob, Commandant of the Sind Cavalry, pointed out, half a century ago, how important was
the strategical position Nushki occupies. I understand that the General Officer Commanding the Quetta District
has directed Officers Commanding Corps to submit reports on the strategical advantages and disadvantages of
building a railway to Nushki. Tue general consensus of expert military opinion would appear to lean towards build
ing the railway, on the ground that doing so would strengthen the Quetta position by securing it from attack from
tbe north-west.
II hile this track was being made a katcha road was also made from Samungli to Girdi Talab, a distance of
nine miles, vide sketch map annexed. I was much interested to notice, on my return from tour, that wheeled car
riage was being employed along this small section of tbe road.
( ^ is ^ ance from Bunder Abbas to Meshed is 966 miles; from Quetta to Meshed 1,011 miles ; from Nushki
to Meshed 919$ miles ; thus a good cart track to Nushki would remould the condition of Indian trade with
Khorassan.