'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III.' [‎37v] (79/982)

66
ARA—ARA
goods, twist, drugs, spices, tea, indigo, rice, and metal goods from India 5
cotton and metal goods from tire United Kingdom ; kerosine oil from Russia ;
matches and iron from Sweden ; sugar from Belgium, France, Austria and
Egypt. Exports are dates, wool, cotton and wheat to India and the United
Kingdom. The grain traffic, which is much hampered by arbitrary embargo
on export, is chiefly the produce of the northern province, the output of
the southern district being very small in comparison to what it has been
or could be made, with proper use of the Karun water for irrigation purposes.
The currency is that of Persia, with the silver krdn as a basis, and nickel
and copper coins of smaller values. The krdn has a fluctuating value be
tween annas 4 and annas 4|, the coin chiefly in circulation being a piece of
krdns 2. Besides the 1 and 2 krdn pieces there are a limited number of silver
5 krdn pieces in use. The nickel coins are pieces of the value of 1 and
2 shdhis, respectively • 20 shdhis going to 1 krdn. Copper pieces are called
pul-i-sidh, which are subject to great fluctuations in value ; though the unit
of these coins may be taken to be worth 2 shdhis. The tumdn is an imagi
nary unit, though of the fixed value of krdns 10. Besides these the Turkish
lira, a gold piece of a fluctuating value of about Rs. 14, and the Indian rupee
have no difficulty in finding a market of exchange. The only fixed weight
is the misqdl, which is used as a standard for comparing different weights;
100 misqdls are equal to 1 lb. avoirdupois. The commonest weight in use
is the man, which is extremely variable. Those that come under notice in
the province are—
Man-i-Bazar
(Muhammareh
) =148
lbs.
avoirdupois.
Man-i-Sif
( do.
) =160
lbs.
do.
Man-i-Basrah
( do.
) =168
lbs.
do.
Man-i-Shushtar
(Nasirieh
) =15*487 lbs.
do.
Man-i-Isma'llieh ( do.
) =392
lbs.
do.
Man-i-Shdh
( do.
) =13*25
lbs.
do.
Man-i-Tabriz
(Imperial Customs) =6*675 lbs.
do.
Besides these, Dizful, Fallahieh, Hawizeh and Ramuz each have their
local man. Each man is uniformly divided into 8 charaks. Grain is
nominally sold by the kharwdr, which contains 50 Shah or 100 Tabdz man.
flhe unit of linear measure is the zar, which is as nearly as possible 41
inches. The unit of square measurement is the jarih, which has a superfi
cial area of about 24 acres, though in practice it is somewhat variable.
Climatic Conditions.—See ’Arabistan (Northern).
Communications. —For details in regard to communications by water,
vide this Gazetteer, Karun, Jarrahi rivers and Fallahieh canal. Besides
these the principal land routes, either within or passing through the limits
of the southern province, are— ' >
1. Muhammareh to Nasirieh, 5 stages, 82 miles ; and thence to Band-i-
Qlr, 2 stages, 23 miles.
2. Muhammareh to Hawizeh through Umm-ut-Tamair, 5 stages, 90
miles.
r 3. Nasirieh to Isfahan, 18 stages, 320 miles.
4. Nasirieh to Behbehan, 6 stages, 120 miles.