'تقرير الإدارة عن المقيمية السياسية في الخليج الفارسي للسنوات ١-١٩١٤" [ظ‎‎١‎٢‎٦] (٤٨٨/٢٥٧)

114
PERSIAN GTIIiF ADMIKISTRATION EEPOET
ed from Bombay now in British gold as well as rupees. There is now a f i
large supply of sovereigns in circulation, and people prefer them to Tn i l
Liras as they are exchanged by the Shroffs at their full legal rate of ^ [
with sometimes a small premium. The exchange of Maria Theresa "
depends mostly on the rise and fall of the silver market-—in January it
quoted at Rs. lil^ per 100 dollars and by December had risen steadily to u?
rupees per cent. This rise was due largely to the considerable
Bedouin and Nejdi divers leaving for their homes in Central Arabia at tlie ^
of the pearling season and requiring their gains in dollars. Although trans
tions are now generally carried on in rupees, merchants prefer to quote prij
for certain commodities in dollars because they obtain a profit thereby on {\
exchange. This, it appears, cannot be averted so long as dollars remain jj
circulation, and Bedouins insist on payment in that currency. Camels, live-
stock generally and articles bought from desert tribesmen are those usually dealt
in in dollars.
The postal work of the port, which is still being carried on by tlie
Postal Matters Political Agent's Office, has grown to
such dimensions that, |in the registration
and parcel branches, there were at one time being received as many as loi
to 180 ordinary and value-payable parcels in a week. Latterly, howeyei
this number has slightly declined owing to an arrangement by which inwail
parcels are delivered to the Shaikh's Customs for assessment and recovery of
the import duty on them, which was previously evaded. Under p
arrangements the public have only the facility of sending their fully
correspondence from Kuwait, for no registered articles, parcels nor i
orders can be accepted from them by the Political Agent's Office for des™
Consequently merchants, the public and the trade of the port are all severelj
handicapped and therefore the remarks in last year's report cannot be too stronglj
emphasized—that the most urgent need of the port is the very early inaugura
tion of a regular Indian Inland post office in Kuwait similar to those in Bahraii
and Maskat. The matter has already been before the Government of India
for some years, and it is hoped will receive their favourable consideration ani
that they will be pleased to provide a large, flourishing and growing port witl
this most elementary necessity of civilization in the very near future.
Another necessity which made itself felt acutely during the past sumiM
Water Supply, has arisen from the continued growdiii
prosperity and population of Kuwait, that
of an adequate Water-supply. It will suffice here to state that the ki
has for the past few years relied for its fresh water supplies almost entirelj
on boats plying to and from the Shatt-el-Arab. How precarious must lie
this source of supply will be apparent when it is remembered tliat thj
distance is over 60 miles, and the boats are entirely dependent upon wind p
weai.her for their sailings. The Shaikh has now realized that if water-famine
waicli have become almost weekly occurrences, are to be avoided, he must to
a proper water supply system in the town itself whatever the method or costmaj
be. He requested that Government would assist him with the expert knof
ledge required to determine the merits of various systems and to undertake
the whole project; he further gave them the option of retaining the working P
their own hands or of handing it over to him on completion as seemed to ttoj
best In the latter case he begged that he might be permitted to paythe^
y s^ me suitable instalments The matter is an urgent one, and if it cou ,
arne nrough before the coming summer, would remove a source of g ie _
adw^on + t . 0Wrl - It remains to be seen what scheme it will ^ S
Sefr S 113 to . ado P t and whether GoTermnent will he prepaieu to eiteii
lineir assistance m any shape.
Tiie King Emperor's birthday was celebrated on the 3rd June a*
Ceiebrationa. usual way by a distribution oi ^^
leave celabtaton el »"
224 F D *