'Administration Reports 1925-1930' [‎144r] (292/418)

23
Red Oxide of Iron.
Hormu£ Island. —The output of ore available for export amounted to 8,950
tons of which 4,950 tons were shipped to the United Kingdom, 1,500^ tons to India
(Calcutta) and 2,500 to the United States of America (Philadelphia).
The whole of the product was transported in British vessels.
Trade and Commerce. «
Bandar Ahhas. —Trade showed a steady decline during the year. .
The import of goods was discouraged by the rising rate for foreign exchange
and the business of local merchants which consists chiefly in forwarding
merchandise to the interior has declined accordingly.
The Russians have made steady progress in pushing the sale of their goods
and steamers of the Soviet Mercantile fleet have called fairly regularly bringing
Russian goods, chiefly loaf and soft sugar, cotton piece-goods, prints and
matches.
The Russians have to a large extent eliminated the problem of foreign
exchange by introducing a system of barter. They have arranged to take ov(ir
native produce such as pistachio nuts, dried fruits, and skins, etc., in exchange for
sugar and manufactured cotton goods.
The total volume of trade during the Persian year 1307 (1928-1929) the
latest for which customs statistics are available, decreased by 14,465,000 Krans
from that of the preceding year.
Imports fell by Krans 14,494,000 but exports showed a rise of Krans,
1,472,000, merely attributable to the diversion through Bandar Abbas of the
usual route by which carpets had previously been despatched from Kerman.
Lingah. —The figures registered at the Customs House show that this trade
continues to decline fast. The total volume decreased by 30 per centum in 1928-
1929 as compared with that of the preceding year.
Shipping and Navigation.
Bandar Ahhas. —164 steam ships aggregating 387,573 tons entered anxi
cleared the port ; comprising 154 British, 6 German and 4 Russian.
Thirty-nine vessels brought merchandise from the United Kingdom of which
26 belonged to Messrs. Frank C. Strick and Company, Limited, and 13 to the
Ellerman and Bucknall Steamship Company.
The s,ix German steamers were of the Hensa Line of Bremen and embarked
their cargoes at Hamburg or Antwerp. The four Russian steamers belonged to
the Soviet Merchantile Fleet and conveyed goods from Odessa.
Ling ah. —85 ships (82 British and 3 German) with a total of 168,312 tons
entered and cleared with cargo.
One shipping casualty was reported during the year. A sailing dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. owned
by a Muscat subject bound for the pearl fisheries was, wrecked near Lingah.
Political.
Politically, as regards Bandar Abbas, the year has been a quiet one. The
Qashghai revolt in the Summer and the trouble in the Lar area did not have their
counter part in this district, the inhabitants showing indifference to passing
events in those quarters.
Mir Barakat Khan and his Baluch followers watched the progres.s of affairs
in the Fars province with not a little interest, but were quite inactive them
selves.
The anniversary of the Coronation of His Imperial Majesty Shah Pahlavi
was celebrated on the 23rd 124th April. An official reception was held by the
Acting Governor and attended by the Persian officials, His, Majesty's Consul,
and the local and foreign mercantile communities. There was not very much
enthusiasm shown, as is generally the case in these parts over celebrations of this
nature.