‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎19r] (36/949)

GENERAL REPORT ON BRITISH TRADE AND ENTERPRISE.
3
Trade with Russia.
Total Trade. —Exports, about 1,500,000/. per annum,* imports, about
2,000,000/. per annum.
Exports. —Five-sixths, raw or agricultural products, of which far the most
important are dried fruits, raw cotton, and rice, then hides and peltries,.
wool, cocoon silk, and gums.
One-sixth, manufactures :—Leather, carpets, and various tissues destined
for kindred Muhammedan population in Russia.
Imports. —One-half, sugar.
One-fourth, cotton tissues.
One-fourth, other manufactures, including some 150,000/. value of kerosine,
animals, flour, tobacco and other vegetable products.
Trade with Btitish Empire.
Total Trade. —Exports, about half a million ; imports, two millions, per
annum.
Exports, —Chiefly raw products -Dried fruits, opium, gums, pearls, raw
hides. Manufactures are carpets and some silk tissues for India.
Imports. —Three-fourths, cotton yarns and tissues, which form also quite
two-thirds of the total imports of these commodities to Persia.
One-eighth or less, other manufactures; and the rest tea, coffee, spices,
3 tc., from India.
Trade with other Countries.
Total Trade. —Exports, about one million, imports, one million,! per
annum.
Exports. —Opium to China, 180/200,000/.; cocoon silk to France and
Italy, 200/230,000/.; carpets to Turkey, Europe, and America, 150/ 180, 000/.;
cotton, silk, and woollen tissues to Afghanistan and Turkey, 60/80,000/.
Imports. —Sugar from France and Austria, 200/220,ooo£.; woollen, cotton
and silk tissues chiefly from France and Austria, 250/300,000/.; tea from
China and Batavia, 50/60,000/. ; raw material from Turkey and Afghanistan,
180/200,000/.; other manufactures, chiefly from France, Austria, and Germany,
160/190,000/.
Russia and the British Empire have consequently a preponderating interest
in trade with Persia. Moreover, Russian trade shows a very marked increase
in recent years, whilst British trade shows neither marked increase nor
decrease.^ .
The fact that the foreign commerce of Persia has developed in recent
years, and that Russia has acquired a large share of this increase in trade
whilst we have made little or no progress, has been frequently commented
on, and may act or may have acted as a deterring influence to British trade
and enterprise in Persia. I have endeavoured to ascertain the reasons for this
fact, and venture to summarise them as follows:
* Fish, caviare, lumberwood, not noticed in the Customs statistics, may account for another 100 / 150 ,
000 /. of exports.
t Allowing for omissions and inaccuracies of classification in the Customs Statistics, the foreign trade of
Persia might be estimated as followsRussia, 4 millions; Bsitish Empire, 3 mi lions; other countries,
2 millions.
J The Consular Reports I have made use of show on examination that quantities are converted into values
at somewhat high rater. Thus the Bushire Reports, 1900 - 1 , estimate tea at gd. to lorf. per lb.; candles, 10 s.
to 10 s. gd- per case; loaf sugar, 20j. to 21 s. per cwt.; copper, 95 $. per cwt. ( 1901 ). V alues only have been
used in this Report, as Customs statistics, base! on an ad valorem tiriff, were more reliable for values than
quai titles. In future they will be more reliable for quaetities than values, but the administration is endeavour,ng
to secure accuracy in this respect.