Water, which was a great want before, is well supplied from condensers which belong to the town.

The rise in the value of house property and building sites within the last ten years has been enormous, and great part of the money thus made has gone to native owners, Persians (or Tartars, as all Mohammedans are called here), and I was told of a plot of building ground with a small house on it, which had been originally bought for 600 roubles, being lately sold for 30,000.

The town is growing in size, and new buildings are rising, which give an appearance of prosperity and increasing trade.

The harbour is crowded with steamers and sailing vessels, and the wharfs present a busy sight.

The loading and unloading is quickly done by steam-cranes and powerful porters, who come in numbers from the Persian districts of Khalkhal and Ardabil.