File 1407/1918 'Kowait Trade Reports. (1911-1930)' [‎146v] (297/746)

Gypsum mortar is sold by the Jcdrah of 100 manns
of 24 Waqlyahs or Il'ISS lbs. The term kdrah is
also used for date palm branches, in which sense
it means 1,000 branches.
Beams and masts are sold by the Calicut kandy
or 10 cubit feet 29 cubic inches ; round rafters or
spars by the korjah or score ; and boat ribs by the
gari or cart load of 40 pieces or upwards according
to size.
The four-gallon kerosine oil tin is used as a mea
sure of capacity ; it is chiefly used for the sale of
water, but clarified butter, fat and date Syrup
are also sometimes sold by the tin.
Of the smaller weights is the habbah, equivalent
to three grains Troy, is used in the sale of gold and
silver. Gold is normally sold by the mithqdl 'attdri
of 18 habbahs or 54 grains, and also by the Turkish
pound and fractions thereof. Silver is sold by the
mithqdl Shirdzi of 24 habbahs or 72 grains. The
mithqdl 'aitdri and the mithqdl Shirdzi are also both
used for drugs and silk thread, but for this purpose
they are not divided into habbahs, but only into
halves and quarters, the niceties of weight being
arrived at by using the two mithqdls and their
fractions in conjunction. Perfumes, as also gold
thread, are sold by the tolah of 180 grains.
In the pearl trade the following weights and
measures are most commonly used in Kuwait. Whole
sale purchases of pearls from the captains of pearling
boats are made chiefly by size. For this purpose,
after any exceptionally good pearls, which it is
desired to dispose of separately, have been removed,
the remainder are assorted by being passed through
a series of perforated brass or copper bowls, the
standard set of which consists of four, the perfora
tions of the largest called rds are '18 inch in dia
meter : those of the second, batn -15 inch : those of
third, dhail -13 inch ; and those of fourth Rdbi'ah
'll inch. After being assorted into rds, batn, etc.,
they change hands at a previously arranged rate,
at so much the mithqdl ’Arabi, which is equivalent
to 450 grains. The ordinary pearl then usually
passes from one dealer to another on a more precise
kind of estimate based upon weight; in Kuwait the
Bombay mithqdl, equivalent to 75 grains Troy,
and subdivided into 24 rattis each of 15 dnahs is
usually employed. The unit in the dealer’s system
is called a chau, and, although derived from a
weight, it is not in itself a weight. The number of
c aus in a pearl is found by squaring the weight of
the pearl in mithqdls and multiplying the result by
330. The chau is divisible into 100 dukrahs, and
the dukrah into 10 baddms. There are other kinds
of chaus also occasionally used, and obtained by an
identical process from other mithqdls, such as Poona
mithqdl of 68J grains.
The normal unit of length is the dhird, or cubit
of 19 inches, but for rope, which is also sold by
weight, the ba 1 or fathom is usually employed.
There is no square measure in use ; and a plot of
ground is described as being so many dhird's accord
ing to the sum of its sides.
The Year i 923-24.
The year under review was unfavourable for trade
owing to thj continued unsettled state of the interior '
there being no trade with Najd throughout the year.'
The pearling season, on which the prosperity of
a large number cf the inhabitants of Kuwait de
pends, opened badly, but improved later, and
was on the whole considerably better than that
of last year. The market rate of pearls was also
better.
Imports.
The total imports by sea amounted to £652 064
and showed a decrease of 1-19 per cent as comnared
with the figufes for which is accounted
for by the decreased import of barley, charcoal
drugs, grocery, cereals, kerosine oil, rice and sugar
loaf.
Of this import trade 77-98 per cent was with India,
10-97 per cent with the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , 9-96 per cent
with ’Iraq, 1-14 per cent with Arab Coast and -15
per cent with other countries.
Exports.
The total exports by sea amounted to £276,541
and showed a decrease of 49-8 5 pe:' c ent as compared
with the figures for 1922 : 2U.'lhT8 (Tecrease, how
ever, is largely accounted for by the comparatively
insignificant quantity of pearls “ shown ” as ex
ported. As however it is never possible to obtain
accurate figures for pearls, of which a large portion
is always smuggled out in personal luggage; and
as the pearl season was better than that of the pre
vious year, the decrease is doubtless much less than
appears from these figures. There was, however,
a decreased export of clarified butter, coir, dates,
specie, sugar loaf, tea, rice, wheat, wheat flour and
wood for boats.
Of the total export trade 60-05 per cent was with
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , 19-87 per cent with the Arab Coast,
13-64 per cent with India and 6-44 per cent with
’Iraq.
Customs Administration and Lighterage.
The administration of the Kuwait Customs Is
supervised by a local Arab, and the system works
satisfactorily. An import duty of 4 per cent ad