'File 27/1 Koweit Trade Reports' [‎25r] (54/522)

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have little or no knowledge of conducting com
mercial transactions on any large scale in a
business-like way. Their business relations with
a few exceptions, are confined to Karachi, Bom
bay and Calcutta. As they are unacquainted
with foreign languages they are heavily handi
capped in expressing their wants accurately and
are consequently at the mercy of tb^ir few cor
respondents in India, who are generally Arabs
settled in Bombay, perhaps only a shade less
ignorant than themselves. As may be
imagined double or treble handling of transac
tions must result, which, while affording com
missions to the intermediaries, raises prices locally
and does not always produce the goods really
required. British Indians established here with
a knowledge of Arabic would reap considerable
profits.
The attachad returns will give an idea of those
articles which find most favour what in Kuwait and
intending traders can see there from particular class
of goods are likely to give them the best appor-
tunities. The following articles may be said to
command a good sale here :—
Enamelware, furniture, gold and silver thread,
piece-goods, rice, coir and coir rope, sail cloth,
coffee, haberdashery, wood for building boats, etc.
Post and Telegraph.-—Tho, port and merchants,
however, labour under two disabilities, the want of a
regular Post Office transacting all kinds of Postal
business, and the absence of telegraphic communi
cation. The former is an urgent necessity and as
the want has been represented for some years, it is
hoped that the Oovemment of India will see
their way to establishing an Indian Post Office at
an early date,
Telegrams can be sent from the Turkish
telegraph office at Fao, or the Indo-European
Telegragh Departments office at Bushire, but in
both cases there is a sea-journey, which makes the
prompt receipt of despatch of messages uncertain
as well as expensive.
Landing arrangements .—The landing of cargo
from steamers is carried on by the Shaikh's Cus
toms. It is admitted by Shipping Companies that
their steamers get quicker despatch at Kuwait than
at other ports in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , while there is
also less pilfering and theft from cargo between
ship and shore and in the Customs warehouse.
Landing charges are recovered from consignees
at the following rates
All other casks, bundles, cakes, jottas, etc.,
big or small, are charged at Bs. 1 each, irrespective
of contents.
Shipping and Navigation. —Until January 1918
the British India Steam Navigation Company
continued to maintain a fortnightly steamer
service to and from Kuwait, sending extra steamers
as inducement offered. Seeing the growing im
portance of the place in February they decided
to send their steamers weekly from Bombay and
fortnightly from Basra.
The Arab Steamers, Limited, also maintains
a fortnightly service to and from Bombay.
The number of steam and sailing vessels that
entered and cleard the port during the year
is given in the attached shipping return.
Freights. —Freights during 1912-19-3 were
B,s. 10 to Rs.14 per ton to Bombay and £ 1-7-6
to £ 2-0-0 for London and European ports by the
British India Steam Navigation Company. By
the Arab Steamers, Limited, they were Rs. 10 to
Rs. 12 to Bombay.
Exchange. —The following coins are current in
Kuwait : —English Sovereigns, Indian Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. ,
one anna nickel pieces, and copper pice. Maria
Theresa dollars, Turkish Liras. Sovereigns a e
exchanged freely at their fixed rate of Rs. 15 each
with sometimes a slight premium. The rate of
dollars has been fluctuating a good deal according
to the rise and fall of the silver market, and the
demands of Bedouin divers returning to the
interior of Arabia. The table given below shows
the different rates ruling during the 12 months of
the year under report:—
April
. Rs.
141
8
0
per
cent.
May .
• >>
141
12
0
June .
• »
143
4
0
»
July .
• It
145
0
0
*»
51
August
• »
152
0
0
if
September .
• >•
149
0
0
I*
55
October
151
8
0
J*
55
November
• »
149
8
0
55
Rice
. $11
per
100 bags.
Sugar
. $ 15
55
100 „
Coffee
. $25
55
100 „
Kerosine Oil .
. . Rs. 6-8
55
100 caselT^"-
Charcoal. ,
. $ 20
55
100 l^gs.
Spices . ,
. Rs. 0-4
■6 per bag.
Piece goods
. . krans 3
per
bale. *
l •
Tamarind .
. Rs. 0-2
-3 per baa.
\
December
. * 150
0
0 „ „
January
. „ 145
0
o » ,,
February
. „ 145
0
0 „ „
March
• „ 150
0
0 „ „
W. H. I. Shakespear, Captain,
Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Kuwait