'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia: About 1889-1890' [‎256v] (532/1486)

Value of
prints.
Cloths.
Sugar.
Indigo.
Copper.
4 PERSIA.
imports to Ispahan, and they may be roughly put down at 8,000 to 10,000
bales per annum, in which Messrs. Ziegler, Ilotz, and Muir, the three
English firms established in Ispahan, import 5,000 to 6,000 bales.
The following class of goods chiefly constitute the imports :—
1. Prints, jacconets.
2. Grey shirtings in 8 , 9, 10, and 11 lbs. weight.
3. Grey Mexicans.
4. White shirtings.
5 . „ cambrics.
6 . Grey and dyed yarns.
7. White malls.
8 . Red Turkey twills.
9. Handkerchiefs.
The average wholesale value in Ispahan of one bale of prints (25
pieces) is about 60 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. (20/.), and of grey shirtings from 30 to 40
tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. per bale. Prints and twills are chiefly used for men’s and
women’s clothing, curtains, &c. Grey twills are partly dyed and
partly used in the grey state. This article furnishes the clothing of the
poor people. Grey and white shirtings are largely used for printing
(“ kalemkars ”), which forms one of the chief industries of this place.
The imports from other countries are small as compared with those
of England. Germany and Austria send woollen cloths, partly direct
and partly through Constantinople. Cloth is not much imported from
England, because it is dearer than Austrian, but if second-class cloth were
imported a good trade might be done. The reason of this is that
every Persian, however poor, tries to buy himself a new coat at the
new year, and so he does not much care how inferior the stuff is, pro
vided it will last him out the 12 months.
Switzerland sends handkerchiefs and red Turkey twills, and Russia
loaf sugar and brass ware, such as Samovars, traj s, &c. This latter
country has, of late, made strenuous efforts to push their piece goods
trade with Persia, but although it has affected the trade in the north,
it has not as yet made any impression on the south. Several thousands
of cases of loaf sugar come annually from Marseilles, and from Germany
some sugar, and gold and silver thread and glass ware from Austria.
Java sugar was formerly extensively imported from Batavia, and of
late one yearly cargo has come from that place to Bushire. The
competition from Mauritius seems, however, to have put an end to this
trade, and since last year the usual Batavia ship has not arrived.
Indigo is not growm in this part of Persia : the best qualities come
from Calcutta, about 30,000 to 50,000 lbs. annually, and inferior qualities
from Madras, about 50,000 lbs. From Ispahan it is re-exported to
Tabreez, Teheran, &c.
The average value is about 10 to 14 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. per 1 manshah (13
lbs. English) for Calcutta indigo, and 8 to 11 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. per 1 manshah
for Madras indigo, according to quality. The trade has been rather bad
of late, the requirements for drying becoming less every year on
account of European imports. Cashmere shawls, about 50 bales (20
pieces), arrive yearly via Bombay, and if in fast colours fetch good
prices. These latter, of course, vary greatly according to the quality,
ranging from about 30 to 100 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. . Of late, however, most of these
shawls are woven in aniline dyes, wdiich, if not put a stop to, will most
likely ruin this trade.
Other imports of some importance are :—
1. Copper: about 100,000 mans of shah are annually imported into
Ispahan, of vrhich, however, by far the greater portion is exported to
Kashan, Kum, and other northern provinces of Persia.
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