'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1914-1915' [‎208r] (85/150)

1914-1915-]
trade.
Chapter IV.
PRODUCTION
AND
2. Imports show a decrease under almost every head, there being few exceptions. An distribution.
examination of individual items shows that imports of coal fell by 18,973 ^ ons i n quantity and j m p 0rts
Rs. 3'2i lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in value. All countries shared in this decrease. Dyeing and tanning
materials fell by 46 per cent, to Rs. 2-47 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . Machinery and mill-work showed a
decrease of Rs. 3’34 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees to Rs. i 8 - 53 lukhs. This is more than accounted for by the fall in
sewing and knitting machines, which curiously enough showed a rise in Bombay. Prime
movers, electrical machinery and textile machinery on the other hand showed a rise of
nearly Rs. 2 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . Imports of metal and ores fell by Rs. 26-47 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees to Rs. 79-56 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
Mineral oils decreased by Rs. 4-67 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in value, but increased in quantity by 10-35 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
of gallons. This is due to large imports of fuel oil, imported from Persia for use on the
railway. There was a small decrease in railway plant and rolling stock of Rs. 44,065
amounting to 1 per cent. only. Imports of sugar decreased by Rs. 73-52 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , cotton
manufactures by Rs. 2-64 crores, cotton twist and yarn by Rs. 1 lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , silk [raw and
manufactured) by Rs. 4^- lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , wool\>y Rs. 36-13 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , and wood and timber by Rs. 2 - i lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
3. The figures of foreign merchandise re-exported show a notable rise of Rs. 41-68 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees Re-exports,
or 63 per cent, and are the highest on record. The increase is mainly due to ship
ments to Persia and Arabia being made via Karachi instead of direct from Europe, owing
to disturbances caused by the war. The most important increase was in sugar which showed
a rise of Rs. 39-12 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or 519 per cent, in value. Most of this was re-exported to the
United Kingdom.
4. The value of Indian produce and manufactures exported fell by Rs. 6-87 crores to Exports proper.
Rs. 19 crores. The heaviest fall, 75 per cent., was in barley. There was an increase of
79 per cent, in the export of fish, 74 per cent, in pulses and 39 per cent, in linseed.
Exports of raw cotton fell by Rs. 87-26 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . This heavy fall was largely due to a collapse
in prices. There was an increase of Rs. 45,602 in the exports of indigo, owing to the
cessation of exports of coal tar dyes from Germany.
5. The net imports of gold including imports by rail from Bombay amounted to Treasure.
Rs. 83-27 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , an increase of Rs. 26-32 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . Imports of silver bullion showed a rise of
Rs. 3-88 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
6. The share of the British Empire rose from 49-25 per cent, to 59-97 per cent. Distribution of trade,
owing to the cessation of trade with enemy countries. Italy s share rose from 1-84 per cent.
to 4-04 per cent. The shares of the various countries in Asia, Africa and America also
increased slightly.
7. Imports on Government account declined from Rs. 3 73 c r o res f° ^- s - 2 ’9 crores. Government
The decrease was most marked in coal and railway, material, there was a rise of Rs. 2-77 transactions,
lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or 333 per cent, in re-exports due to large shipments of telegraph materials to Persia
and of Rs. 2-1 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or 205 per cent, due to the export of other military supplies to Gulf
ports.
8. The number of vessels engaged in foreign trade which entered the ports of the Shipping,
province decreased from 551 to 438 and their tonnage from 969,074 to 629,085. 1 he
number engaged in coasting trade decreased from 3>486 to 3> 1 ^ 2 an<: ^ tonnage from
1,032,783 to 953,296. The number of steamships entering fell by 171 to 731, the decrease
in tonnage being 415,622. Of the total number of steamships, 629 were British, 35 British-
Indian, 17 German and 12 Austrian. After the first four months German and Austrian vessels
dropped out of the trade.
[id) Coasting Trade.
The total value of the coasting trade, including treasure but excluding Government
transactions (both in stores and treasure), showed a fall of Rs. i 5 > 95>777 or n< e ar v 2 P er
cent., but a rise of Rs. 57,00,182 or 7 per cent, in the quinquennium. The decline was
from Rs. 8,83,06,885 in 1913-14 to Rs. 8,67,11,108 in 1914-15. There w r as a slight increase
of Rs. 1-65 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or 0-34 percent, in the total value of imports of Indian produce and
manufactures. The largest increase, Rs. I 4'34 la-khs, was furnished by cotton piece-goo s.
Exports of Indian produce and merchandise decreased by Rs. 45' ! 9 l^-khs 01 17 per cen .
The fall occurred chiefly in raw cotton and foodstuffs.
B.— Subordinate Ports.
Keti Bandar and Sirganda.
The trade of the two ports fell by Rs. 1-49 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees to Rs. 13-^3 i^-khs.
Sind External Land Trade.
1. The total value of imports and exports, excluding treasure, fell from Rs 19771 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees General,
to Rs. 176-69 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . The decrease in imports was due largely to a decline of Ks. a s
in the import of raw wool. Imports of fruits and nuts showed a^ marked rise oi s. 5 2
lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or 40 per cent. Exports of leather manufactured and European cotton piece-gooc s
each showed a decline of 2\ lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
2. Imports from Southern and Western Afghanistan fell from Rs. 92-68 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees to Distribution.
Rs. 69-77 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , a fall of 24 per cent., and exports fell from Rs. 61-84 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees to Rs. 5606
lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , a 7 fall of 9 per cent. The total trade by the Nushki route fell by Rs. 7 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees only,