'General information on Persia for any future edition, 1895' [‎80r] (150/211)

63
favourable, and were also able to state that the necessary jetties and harbours would
be provided for at small expense. After that, if a mere rumour may be trusted, a
boiler and the machinery fittings, which it would be impossible to have made at Van,
were got ready at the capital, and at the last moment their dispatch was counter
manded by the Central Government.
One steam-ship of, say, 500 or 600 tons burthen, supplemented by two small but
powerful tugs, would be ample provision for present needs, and for a very considerable
time to come. The cargoes at present carried by native sailing-vessels (upon which I
once sent a short Memorandum to Colonel Chermside) consist of grain, wood, charcoal,
raw cotton, building stones, passengers, and more rarely the weightier articles of
import of European manufacture. Freight from Arjish to Van is Id. per 16-| lbs.
They take their chance of a wetting en route or of a delay, which may be of from five
to twenty days’ duration, through stress of weather. A winter never passes without
two or three vessels shipwrecked or capsized, and generally four or five lives lost.
There can be no hesitation as to the choice of ports to be fixed on, viz., Van and
Tadvan ; places of call would be Arjish, Adeljivaz, and Akhlat on the north, Surp and
Mokhrapert on the south. There are several places of shelter if necessary besides
these.
As to the commercial advantages, it is hardly necessary to state that all the goods
brought to \an by horse and ox cart would be saved a considerable land journey.
Distances are—
Erzeroum to Van
Erzeroum to Arjish
Erzeroum to Tadvan
Bitlis to Tadvan
Hours.
72
54
42, or 48 if
bv Musk
' 4
The undertaking would most undoubtedly be highly profitable. Besides this, the
mails would gain, according to their destination, more or less in time, and the transport
of troops might be facilitated. It is quite possible that a pilgrim route from Persia
for Bagdad and Kerbela by way of Mush and Diarbekir might grow up.
I have, &c.
(Signed) GEOBGE POLLABD DEVEY.
No. 59.
Mr. Fane to the Marquis of Salisbury.—(Received July 24.)
My Lord, Therapia, July 20, 1891.
I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Lordship copy of a despatch which has
been addressed by Mr. Vice-Consul Devey to Her Majesty’s Acting Consul at
Erzeroum respecting certain lawless acts in the Vilayet of Van.
I have, &c.
(Signed) EDMUND PANE.
Inclosure in No. 59.
Vice-Consul Devey to Acting Consul Hampson.
Sir, Van, June 22, 1891.
HIS Excellency the Vali started four weeks ago on a tour in the districts, and,
passing by Archag Nahiyye, spent a week or so at Bergri, and is now at the caza town
of Arjish, where the presence of the Governor-General is producing good of manifold
description. I will mention one example only. In the chief town Agans, where the
Armenians are a small minority, and mostly hold their few shops under Moslem land
lords, they lately decided to build a market containing upwards of eighty shops with
assistance from Van merchants. Local opposition was strongly aroused, and every
kind of obstacle presented in defence of private interests, but this unjustifiable
resistance, and any suspicion of violence or intimidation in posse, has been entirely
desisted from since his Excellency’s arrival, and the market-place is making rapid and
satisfactory progress. Frequent petty thefts, especially of two, three, or five oxen, are
occurring, but no such case is suffered to pass unheeded.