On a late rumour of a foreign control of the Customs being likely, the Russian Armenian merchants engaged in trade in the North frankly represented the fact of arrangements being made with the authorities at the ports, to take less than the treaty 5 per cent.

on exports and imports, and they urged that the custom was of such old date and long continuance as to make it a fully recognised right.

They stated that their trade was established on this basis, and they protested against any change.

There can be no doubt that the same custom prevails in the South, and all along the frontier.
As the farming contracts are much subdivided, competition operates to reduce rates, so as to induce change of trade routes.

Thus, I heard of a merchant in Central Persia, whose communications are with the South, asking a contractor in the North for a quotation of his terms, so as to make it advantageous for him to send his goods that way.