'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1907-1908' [‎44r] (86/137)

4907-1903.]
TRADE.
A.— Chief Port— Kara'chi.
(i) Foreign Trade.
47 Chap. IV.
PRODUCTION"
AND
' DISTRIBUTION.
1. The total foreign trade was Rs. 29,64,04,637, an increase of 3*77 crores Tm^vf* r ,
were 1*4 crores and exports 2*36 crores more than in 1906-1907. * P° r ts General,
was an increase ot 8*9o Ltkhs or 3 Imports.
2. Under the head Articles of Food and Drink, th<
per cent. The imports of show a rise of 5 percent, m value, imports from Java advancino-
by 287 per cent. _ On the other hand Germany has practically dropped ont of the market Hard
ware and Cutlery increased by Rs. 1,61,089 or 9 per cent, and Oilt by over half a million srallons
•Under the heading Raw Materials there was an improvement of 6-97 Idkhs Goal accounting
for 1 and Wood for 2i lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . Under Manufactured Articles, Cotton Goods rose 377 iakhs B
Silk and Wool fell and lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees respectively. There was a total increase under the headino-'
of 53 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or 9 per cent. ^
3. Exports of Indian Produce accounted for almost the whole of the increase. Wheat Exports,
which formed 46-S per cent, of the total exports, rose in value by 1*2 crores, or 18 per cent*
largely owing to poor crops in North America and Europe. But the increase in value is also
due to a 7 per cent, rise in prices. Exports of Cotton improved 41 per cent, in quantity and
40 per cent, in value. Rape Seed showed an increase of 40 Ukhs. On the other hand there
was a marked decrease in exports of Wool, Rice, Til, and Skins and Hides. ’
4. There was a further increase of nearly 23 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in the net imports, due to the continued Treasure,
hoarding of gold by zaminddrs.
5. The United Kingdom improved her position by *26 par cent., her share beino- 5879 of Distribution,
the total trade. Germany had 10-89 against 12*38 per cent., and Belgium 8*63 against 7*98
per cent. Trade with Asia rose from 6 ‘53 to 9*27 per cent., but the experts toAfrica and
America showed a falling-off.
6. There was a decline of nearly crores, mainly owing to diminished imports of Stores Govern ment
and Railway Plant. transactions.
7. Five hundred and sixty-nine vessels, with a tonnage of 657,608, entered, and 614 vessels, Shipping,
with a tonnage of 889,380, cleared from the port during the year. There was an increase of
112 in the number of vessels entering, and of 96 in the number clearing.
(ii) Coasting Trade.
1. The value of imports rose by 70*7 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees to 5*29 crores, 53*7 Ukhs of the increase Imports,
being in imports of Indian Produce.
2. The export trade increased from 2*41 to 2*67 crores, exports of Indian Produce Exports,
advancing 29£ lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , and of Foreign Merchandise declining 3£ lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
3. Imports rose from 64^ to 68| lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , while exports decreased from 13 to 6*8 Ukhs. Government Stores.
4. Gold coin to the value of 251 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , and silver to the value of 1*49 crores, were Treasure,
imported from Bombay. Exports of silver amounted to Rs, 2,10,947, 9 per cent, less than last
year.
B.— Subordinate Ports.
Keti Bandar and Sirganda.
1. The combined trade of these two ports declined from 20*77 to 12*33 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . General.
2. Foreign trade amounted to only Rs. 150 at Keti Bandar and Rs. 807 at Sirganda. Foreign trade.
3. At Keti Bandar imports of Indian produce decreased from Rs. 94,295 to Rs. 93,896, Coasting trade.
^and imports of foreign merchandise from Rs. 68,881 to Rs. 58 280. Exports were less by more
than one-half. At Sirganda imports fell by a Idkh of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. and exports by nearly a l&kh and
a half. The falling off in trade at both ports was mainly due to diminished export of rice.
Sind External Land Trade.
1* The land trade of Sind and British Baluchistan is carried on with Afghanistan, General.
Balucnistan and Persia. The aggregate trade showed an increase of over 11 l&khs, or 8 per
cent., over tne previous year.
2. Imports declined by 3 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or 3 per cent, the chief decreases being under Fruits and Imports.
aio Wool. I 1 here were increases under Drugs, non-intoxicating, Wheat, Ghi, Mustard and
Rapt-seed.
, . The export trade showed an improvement of 14 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or 28 per cent., the chief increases Exports,
mg under Cotton Piece-goods, Non-intoxicating Drugs, Leather and Iron.
4. The import trade with Afghanistan decreased by 9 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , or 13 per cent., the export Distribution.
. e increased by 8 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or 21 per cent. Imports from and exports to Baluchistan showed an
improvement of 6 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and 1^ lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees respectively. There was an increase of half a lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in the
reports from Persia and of 3 J Ukhs in the exports to that country. Trade by the Nushki route
owe a substantial increase both under imports and exports.