'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART II: L to Z' [‎125v] (255/988)

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745 MUH—MUII
Muhammareh can now boast of five large bazars containing over 300
shops and of a grain-market^ and large stoc ks of riceand dates are generally
available. But more important than the local trade or industries of Muhaim
march are its foreign commerce and its functions as a port. Of the foreign
trade nominally belonging to Muhammareh, by far the greater part really
depends on places upon the Karun and up-country. The town is accessible
to ocean-going steamers ; but, owing to the narrowness of the Karun and
the consequent difficulty of swinging, they discharge their cargoes without
leaving the Shatt-al-'Arab, opposite the village of Ma’muri. Cargoes,
etc., are transhipped at Muhammareh to the river steamer of Messrs.
Lynch Brothers, and conveyed thus to Bandar Nasiri. The steamers of
the British India Company call weekly at Muhammareh from Bombay,
and those of the Bombay and Persia Company occasionally, and in 1903
the town was visited, in addition to those, by 35 British and 4 Russian
steamefs from Europe. In 1904, 19 steamers with cargo direct from
Europe called, and of these 5 took cargo for Europe. The total number
of English boats which entered by sea in 1904 was 87, of which 63 cleared;
and of other nationalities 3 entered and 1 cleared. One river-steamer
runs fortnightly to Bandar Nasiri (Ahwaz) in connection with the Ahwaz-
Shushtar steamer. The freight from Muhammareh to Bandar Nasiri is
40 krans (Rs. 10) per ton. The freight to London is from £1 to £1-7-0 per
ton. The rate of exchange varies from about 56 krans to 59 krans to £1,
or an average value of 4d. per kran. The following is a table of the chief
articles of import and export at Muhammareh :—
Branch of Imperial Bank of Persia opened, 1909.
Expobts.
IMPORTS;
Exported to
Description.
Imported from
Description.
Lidia i » ;
Dates of miscellaneous
inferior kinds called
Sayir ; raw cotton ;
bugloss ; almonds ;
linseed ; wool ; carpets.
Bombay
Cotton piece-goods,
chiefly grey or in- 1
digo dyed.
Turkey *
Sayir dates ; raw cotton
Manchester .
Cotton piece-goods
in less quantity but
of greater value
than the Indian.
England
Wheat ; gum ; gum
tragacanth ; linseed ;
madder-root ; opium.
Germany and
Austria.
Sugar.
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
Barley ; wool ; carpets
Russia
Kerosinte.
Holland ,
Linseed .
Generally
Iron ; copper ; coffee,
tea ; rice ; silk ;
twist.
Egypt , h
Tobacco
• . •
• . •
France . .
Madder-root ,
Hong-Korig .
Opium
...
Europe generally .
Sesame ; wool ; carpets
...
XOte. —The carpets, almonds, opium, gum trapacanth and some raising are the prodeo® of Upper Persia
are received from Isfahan ; the ordinary gum from AhwAz,