"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [و‎‎٢‎١‎٦] (٦١٦/٤٣٦)

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 1909.
15
seizure of the Customs and the expulsion of the Belgians. He also ordered
the Persian Postmaster to change his office designation and rubber stamns
to " Nationalist Post Office Lanstan " and to cease using the Shah's stamps
Letters coming from Lar now were stamped with a new stamp of the Seyyid's
It was not however until news reached Lingah, on 25th March, of the
r by the Na , tlonahst clement at Bushire and Bandar
Abbas, that the populace came to the scratch and followed suit The DeDiitv
Governor was however re-appointed on behalf of the Nationalists, while the
Armenian m charge of the Customs took sanctnaiy at the British Agencv
after handing over his charge. During all this period Lingah was visited
frequently by H- M. s ships, the " Redbreast", " Fox " and " Sphinx " and tbp
R,I.M.S. " Lawrence all calling at frequent intervals during March and
A ? K, I ff V1S ^ r re a S0Ur ? e 0f relief to the peaceable inhabitants, and
valuable both as a deterrent to the lawless element and as a means of quick
communication. / 4
The condition of Lingah remained very abnormal and restless for the
remainder of thejear owing to the frequent reports of fighting and rapine in
the hinterland but the period passed without any active trouble. Bustak
however was the scene of disturbance for some time, in October and Novem
ber the Seyyids lieutenant, Ghulam Husein Khan Varawi, and his Turake-
meh tollowers having sacked the place and driven out the Sowlet-el-Mulk the
hereditary Governor and adherent of the Kawamis. Ghulam Husein set up
the bowlet s son as Governor, and left with the spoil, but the latter could not
long maintain his position and the father eventually got back, the son
Muhammad Vali Khan, migrating to Lingah.
The Nationalist disturbances in the Gulf Ports, including the seizure of
Commerce. Customs, combined with the situa-
v ^ tion in Shiraz and on the Trade Routes
roughout the year, naturally had a dire effect on the volume of trade pass
ing through Bushire. r
In fact, during the first five months of the year, the forwarding of goods
up-eountry from Bushire practically ceased, and the Kazerun route remained
cosed to caravan traffic throughout the whole period under report, the veil
oemg only lifted momentarily in July by the passage of a small force of fifty
men sent up emergently from Bushire to reinforce the Shiraz Consulate
wnicn was thought to be in danger of attack.
few caravans, as opportunity offered did, it is true, pass up and down
j1 6 £. lru zabad route under the auspices of the Sowlet-ed-Dowleh, Ilkhani of
e Jlashgais, but nearly all the Bushire import traffic was diverted to the
Ahwaz-Ispahan road.
follows 6 Statistics for tlle ^ ear 21st Marcl1 1909 to 21st March 1910 were as
Imports £717,091
Exports £400,893 '
showing a falling off amounting to £376,374 on the imports and £31,704 on
e ex P or ts of £he year before. Details will be found in the Trade Report.
Tour steamers of the Odessa Line called during the year. Monsieur
Foreign competition ^ Mishtolt continued in the Agency but
t t his post must have been a sinecure.
w 'tVi in C01 ? s ^ s ^ n g only of glass-ware and earthen-ware tea-pots together
Ba h i ^ ns ^? ros ^ ne - The principle business of the Company is with
st 8 j 'i nothing appears to be done to push Russian trade. It is under-
ru that the Duma were opposed to the renewal of the contract of the
ess a Lme, but the Imperial Council insisted on it.
13 ^ s * eamer s < of the Hamburg-America Line called as compared with 1
dirt r res P ec ti ve ty in the last two years. Like the British Lines with
sailings from Europe, the German Line felt the effect of the depression
Ck J
1
'o