"معاملات الجمعية الجغرافية في بومباي. من يناير ١٨٦٣ حتى ديسمبر ١٨٦٤. (تحرير السكرتير.) المجلد XVII." [‎٥‎٧] (٥٢٤/٢٢٢)

AROUND THE SHORE LINE OF THE PERSIAN GULF. 5?
75. When however Shah Abbas, a Sovereign whose Serais for the
accommodation of trade are among the noblest and most enduring
architectural structures in Persia, turned his keen commercial eye
towards the Gulf, he put his finger on its entrance, preferred the
mainland to the island, established a port, and gave it his own name.
It is possible we may have put a finger down too.
76. As to the customs of Bunder Abbass, they are lumped
in the farm with its inland revenues for 16,000 Tomans per annum ;
of which 10,000 may represent customs. The farm has some
thirteen years yet to run, and the terms of the dreaty including
it are hostile to the intrusion of foreigners, and afford Persia
a considerable room for interference. The Sultan of Muscat in turn
forms both the Muscat and Abbass Customs to a Bunya for 95,000
Tomans; of which, perhaps, 20,000 Tomans may represent Abbass
dues ; but, on the whole, the trade of the Muscat State is in a partially
transition condition, owing to the division of the Imaumship into the
two separate Sultanuts of Zanzibar and Muscat, under the arbitrement of
the late Earl Canning. The web and woof of the home trade is of
course for the moment rent asunder, and commerce takes time to re
adjust itself along new groves under altered circumstances.
77* The small town of Kishm, on the Southern end of the island of
that name, is another port farmed from Persia by Muscat. Its prin
cipal export is salt, which it sends Eastwards. Its imports are mainly
for consumption on the island. Perhaps a sulphur and saltpetre trade
might succeed at Kishm.
78. The islet of Angaum, on the sea-side of Kishm, might be a
convenient point for a coal depot. The Sound is always calm on one side,
with a channel of 6 or 7 fathoms ; but it should be borne in mind, that
this islet, like Kishm itself, may revert to Persia a few years hence,
and that Persia is jealous of any footing whatsoever being gained on
her territory by an European.
79< My suggestion is, that in developing the trade of the Persian
Gulf, we keep as free as may be convenient of dependence upon foreign
States. I believe w r e can do so whether w r e regard our trade, our tele
graph, or our coal stations.
80. Before crossing to the other side of the Gulf, it may be well
to turn a general glance over Persian trade, considered as a whole, and
as it may be expected to develop.
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