The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-29

an absolute desert. The rest Ia badly cultivated
and insufhciently watered.
| POPULATION OF PERSIA.
The population II everywhere 80 scanty as not to
exceed, on the average, seven inhabitants to the
square mile. which circumstance is well worth the
consideration Of railway shareholders.
According to carefully made estimate furnished
by Mr.. Ronald Thomson. the British Secretary of
| Legation, who came to Europe with the Shah. the
| population OF Persia recently numbered
| Inhabitants of cities 600 oOo
Population Of wandering tribes 100000
mhaDltants OF villages and country dis
.'........................ l7OoO00
Total population ......................4 40O 600
THE CITIES OF PERSIA.
The largest of the Persian cities are Tabreez or
Taurs, with spopulati0n or 100000; Teheran. with
5000 inhabitants; Ispahan. with CO. 600, and Yezd,
with 10000 inhabitants.
TIE PURE PERSIAN RACE.
The 100000 OF Inhabitants who reside In towns
constitute the pare Persian race and more than
half the remaining population belong to the Turk
ish, LEX, Koordsh and Arab tribes, which are
spread over the whole Of the Shah's territory. In
some provinces, such as Khorassan ard In the dis
trcts contiguous to the Turkish and Russian from
tiers, nearly the entire population belongs to one
| or the other OF these tribes.
DECREASE OF THE POPULATION.
lily declining in numbers, owing to the ravages Of
the plague, the general absence OF sanitary laws
| the results OF p0lygamy-which entirely deprive
the poorer classes OF wives-and various other not
| well ascertained causes.
PERSIAN IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.
| The foreign trade OF Persia may be roughly val
| ued at four millions sterling annually OF which
900 may be taken the value of the imports,
and 81, 5OO, 900 that OF the exports. diminu-
ton in the latter to the extent OF nearly million
| sterling has taken place within these last three
years. owing to the failure of the silk production,
the most important branch Of industry in the coun
try.
| Persia imports from Europe and India cotton,
manufactures cloths, Silks cotton yarns, cochineal
sugar tea, jewelry, cutlery, china, crystal glass
ware iron brass, and copper IN sheets tin, paper,
| indigo and firearms.
EXPORTS.
Persia exports raw silk, raw cotton, tobacco,
raw opium, wheat gall nuts, wool, iurs, madden
root dried fruits. shaws Of inferior quality and
coarse calico for the Russian and Turkish markets.
PERSIAN TRADE WITH EUROPE.
The trade with Europe Is carried on almost
entirely over the northern frontier, by way or
Trebizond and Georgia. through Tabreez. Persia
would have o great transit trade If there were q
good high road between Trebizond and Bushire.
The latest reliable returns of the yearly value OF
Persian exports and imports oy this route were as
follows:-Cotton manufactures from England,
fl2oo, 0oO chests Of tea, ESQ., s4o cloth. f9O, 900;
silks, $4,000; cotton yarns, 44,S00; cochineal,
x2o4s; sugar, 204OoO; glass and crystal 22sS. o4o;
sundries, s2, 1885, During the same period Persia
| exported goods to the value fclowtng:-Raw cot
ton f26 1870; raw silk, f374, 400; tobacco. f35, 1885,
gall nuts, Ella, $685. coarse calicoes, f26, 400.
TOTAL VALUE OF EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.
| The total value OF her exports and imports
stands thus Imports f TIE, exports. 4475,e7s
Not much of trade this, considering all the fuss
| and trouble Of doing it
| TABRBEz THE COMMERCIAL CENTRE OF PERSIA.
The principal trade of Persia Is carried on at
Tabreez, which is the chief market for the produc-
tons Of Northern India, Samarcand, Bokhara. Ca
bool and Beloochistan. In the year 1858 the Euro
pean imports into Tabreez are said in q French
ofncial report, to have amounted to 6o,oo000O
francs In 1910, before the accession OF the
present SHAH they only amounted to 40, 000 900
francs. All the European merchandise for Tabreez
passes by way Of Constantinope to Trebizond,
whence 1t is forwarded by mules and pack horses
through Erzeroom.
MEssRs. RALL AND co.
Messrs. Rail- Co. have a large share OF
the Persian trade In their hands, but do not seem
to have found 1t to answer and are apparently with
drawing from 1t and establishing their principal
Eastern commercial house at Calcutta, which Is
| move In advance in every way. Twenty i've
| years ago. however, Messrs. Rail- Co.
were omnipotent in Persia They took an active
part In placing the present Shah upon the throne
| COMMERCIAL INTEREST OF GREAT BRITAIN IN PERSIA.
The direct trade between Persia and England Is
very trampery. There were no exports at all from
Persia toGreat Britain in 1858 and 1884; in 1865 they
amounted to q nominal value of f517; in 1885, to
1ocS 70 nd in RI N
again. there we're no imports from Persia into
England. but In 1870 they reached nominal value
| Of flS,5s9.
| iMPOKTs OF BRITISH PRODUCE INTO PERSIA.
| On the other hand the British imports into
Persia direct were valued at $3.50 in 1864, at
Els243 In 1865, at f25,so6 in 1856, at Ella o69 In
1857 at 498 in 1885, at SIG, 9s5 in 1889 and at
fl5,55e in 1870.
| ASPECTS OF PERSIAN LIFE.
It's not easy to make money In a country where
there are no trade and no speculation, no govern
ment loans contracts for public works. Still 1t
Is done now and then on a small scale by pawn
broking. Money bears very high rate OF interest
in Persia The legal value OF it is supposed to be
twelve per cent? but practically there is no limit
to the price actually charged for 1t. OF course in
Persia as elsewhere, high interest is only another
| name for bad security, and creditor who
| wants his money from any DEBTOR in power Is
| apt to be dismissed with sentence from Saadi or
Hanz and sent about his business, If no worse
happens to him. 1t is an awful event, however, in
the life OF foreigner settled in the country to
have Persian creditor
SITTING on A MAN.
The Persian creditor having once determined to
get his money calls Tor IL early in the morning and
cannot he persuaded to 60 away till he Is paid.
He brings his carpet with him and sits down In his
debtors bedroom, eating, drinking, sleeping and
smoking there till he is bought on. Some years
| ago, not many, Persian had. or fancied that he
had, claim on the English Foreign ONCE. so one
day he travelled away from Teheran, and after
many strange adventures arrived in London.
taking his carpet with him, and fully prepared to
sit upon the Foreign ONCE which he supposed to
be person, till he was satisfied. Lord Pslmerston