From Bombay to Burma and Simla to Ceylon.
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The Conservatism of the Indian. Lucky Bullock Carts. Possible Persian Development of Cross-desert Transport.
By Our Own Correspondent in Calcutta.
Motor Transport Syndicate.
I am informed that a. Calcutta Motor Transport Syndicate is being formed, with. a capital of about £60,000, to handle the transport work of this city. One of the principal promoters is said to be Mrs. P. H. Michael, of Rangoon, Burma, who is interested in. the Renard road train, to which I have referred before but the idea does not seem to be to run these trains only, but motor lorries as well. The great bulk of the trade of Calcutta is, may explain, done by natives in that part of Calcutta known as Burra Bazar, which is crammed with the narrowest of narrow lanes and labyrinths, which even the diminutive bullock cart finds it difficult to negotiate. The Syndicate, I learn, has not forgotten this aspect of the case, and their idea is to have lorries built sufficiently small to negotiate these by-ways with case. I have not seen the prospectus as yet, and so am unable to give any further details just now, but I shall not fail to keep you well informed of any future developments. I am quite convinced that there is immense scope for a service of this kind, but it may take some little time to induce the native merchant to abandon his conservative ways in favour of more modern customs.
I fear, however, that your readers will find it a trifle difficult to fathom the depth of native conservatism. In Bombay I was friendly with one of the richest natives in the whole of Western India. He lived in a veritable shanty. which a man in England on £2 a week would certainly not have considered a desirable residence. The native millionaire confided in me one day that he had made all his money while living in that house, which was consequently a very lucky house' and he was strongly convinced that, were he to leave it, his great wealth would quickly leave him I He honestly believed that ; and in superstitious beliefs of this kind he differed in no way from the ordinary run of Indians, one and all of whom are superstitious to the core. My fear is that the Calcutta native merchants, all of whom live in the back slums where they have made their money, will argue that they have been lucky with bullock carts and have no desire to change. But this stupidity on their part will have to be broken down some day, and would the more quickly disappear if some of their leaders were induced to patronize the commercial motor. I suggest to the Syndicate that they should tackle the leaders first, even
if they have to carry their goods for nothing for a time. However, I am glad to see that a real start is to be made to improve road transport conditions in what we delight to call the "City of Palaces." It had to come with the advancing tide of Western ideas, Indian Motor Unions.
I am sorry to hear from Bombay that the Western Indian Motor Union has, owing to various causes which I need not enter into in detail here, been allowed to die. There is hope, however, in some quarters that it will be born again at no very distant date. Its premature demise has been brought about, I may say, not on account of any lack of eligible members,. but more probably from lack of esprit de corps among them. The trophies of the Union are in . charge of Messrs. Maras and Co., Bombay, who have now been advised by the A.A. and M.U. of Great Britain and Ireland to return them to their donors. I am informed, however, that this step may be held in abeyance, pending the revival of the Union under strictly European management, if this be found possible. Bombay can hardly get on without a Union of some sort.
The Calcutta Union, which glories in the name of the Automobile Association of Bengal, has just held its eighth annual meeting here. It is very far from being a moribund concern. In fact, it is very full of life and vigour, so much so that it has just invited his Excellency the first Governor of Bengal to become its president. Its vitality is largely due to the fact that it is practically run by Europeans. The colour line is very sharply drawn in this country, and Europeans and Indians seldom work cordially side by side except in those cases where strong self-interest compels them to do so.
In the opinion of the Association, the police are too severe on the members, and arrangements are being made to engage for a fixed sum the services of a. lawyer who is skilled in the ins and outs of the laws and by-laws which control motor traffic of all sorts in Calcutta. The duty of the selected lawyer will be to defend all members of the Association who may have to figure in the police courts for some infringement or supposed infringement of the existing regulations.
Indo-Persian Trade.
' When Lord Curzon was in India as Viceroy, one of his great desires was largely to expand the trade of India with Persia. With this object in view he constructed the Quetta-Nushki Railway and did his level best to attract goods by this route by granting solid rebates on goods sent to Quetta by Indian rail. ways en route to Persia, and he also allowed certain Customs drawbacki on goods destined for the Shah's dominions. But notwithstanding all his efforts, the object of which was to get on level terms with Russia in the matter of the great trade of Northern Persia (British interests being secure in the south), traffic by the Nushki route has not grown to the extent hoped. It has been dia. mayed by the extent of desert to be traversed after the rail head is left behind, for, for some reason best known to the Home Government, the Nushki railway has never been pushed into Persian territory or even to the borders of Persia. This desert waste is about 500 miles in extent and usually takes over a month if camel transport be used. I wish to record in your columns as a remarkable fact that Maim O'Connor, British Consul for Seistan and Kain in Persia, has actually crossed this desert in eight days in a Darracq motor, which is said to have run smoothly throughout, though no road in the true sense of the word exists.
Now it seems to me that this feat is of first-class importance, because it illustrates very clearly how Lord Curzon's idea of extended trade with Persia could easily be brought about by the use of commercial motors of the right sort running between Nushki and Robat. Transport charges by camel are exceedingly heavy ; they would be much less by commercial motor, and the time saved would be enormous. If we are not to have a through railway to Persia, let us by all means have a through commercial-motor service, because the trade is very well worth having, though hampered by centuries of neglect. I commend this idea to both the British and Indian Governments, and suggest that, if they cannot take it up themselves, they will subsidize a commercial-motor company to do so-. But let it be soon.