'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia: About 1889-1890' [‎722v] (1465/1486)

2
lA lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ; while the incoming trade from. Ladakh has fallen off. durning to
exports, it will be seen that there is an improvement all round except in the
case of Chinese Tibet and Ladakh—the total increase being over 38 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
Sewestan accounts for one lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , Kabul for 27 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , Bajaur for 4 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , and
Kashmir for 7 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
5. Under imports the following large variations have occurred:—
Increases —
Between £ a lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and one lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
Between 1 and 2 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
Between 2 and 3 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees • ...
Between 6 and 7 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
Nearly 8 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ... ...
fRaw Cotton.
| Dyeing Materials
■■■<
(“ Other kinds”.)
Rice, husked.
j Skins of Sheep, &c.
^Shawls.
fRaw Silk.
| Spices ( u Other kinds”.)
,Wood (“Other timber”.)
| Wool (Raw) and Pashm.
^Indian Woollens.
f Horses, Ponies and
Mules.
( Fruits, &c. (“ Other
’■'( kinds”.)
... Ghi.
The only explanation offered as to raw cotton is the occurrence of a
heavy crop in Kashmir, whence the whole of the commodity comes and the pre
valence of high prices in Sialkot and elsewhere. The tariff rate for skins of
sheep and goats rose considerably in Rawalpindi and elsewhere: this would
account for increased imports. The destination of much of this commodity is
Europe (see para. 9 of Financial Commissioner’s Report on Internal Trade for
1888-89). In shawls the trade is subject to remarkable variations. The import
in 1887-88 was valued at 12J lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and in 1888-89 at 6^ lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , and now we
find a rise to 7-g- lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . The Murree route shows a decrease of nearly a lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ,
while the Sialkot Returns indicate an increase of nearly 2 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . The import
of raw silk from Kashmir has ceased, and from Ladakh the amount brought
down is yearly getting smaller. On the other hand, Kabul sent down 1| lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees *
worth, more than 4 times the import of 1888-89, and about of that of 1887-88.
The trade in this commodity formed the subject of correspondence with the
Punjab Government last year (vide para. 8 of Review of the External Land Trade
of 1888-89), and subsequent correspondence ending with my No. ~ of 6th.
January 1890. No further light has been thrown on the matter. Nearly all the
increase under raw wool and pashm is in the Chinese Tibet trade; and the total
imports exceed any figure reached for many years past. The Indian woollens
imported came practically all from Kashmir. In 1885-86 the value imported
was nearly as great as in the year under report. In 1887-88 the import went
below 6 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , and it has since then increased to 7| lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . Horses, ponies and
mules came down chiefly from Kabul in much larger numbers during the year
under report: no explanation is available. Para. 51 of last year’s Report
contained some explanation of the falling off in 1888-89 under “ Other fruits.”
The trade has revived, chiefly owing to the cessation of disturbances in the
dominions of the Amir of Kabul, a circumstance which accounts for the larger
trade done with Kabul in all the principal articles. As to ghi, there is nothing
to add to what was written in para. 35 and 52 of last year’s Report, except to
point to the very large increase in the import from Kabul. The demand for
hill ghi is steadily rising; and more than one-fifth (in value) of the total imports
of the year is accounted for by the import of ghi.
6. Decreases in Imports —
Between £ a lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and one lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
Between 1 and 2 lakha
„ 20 „ 22 „
/ Oharas.
I Government Silver.
Logs.
Public Silver.
The large imports of charas in 1887-88 and 1888-89 lowered the price;
and though the price rose again in the past year, no doubt the dull market in