"تقرير إداري عن المقيمية السياسية في الخليج العربي والوكالة السياسية في مسقط عن الفترة ١٩٠١-١٩٠٢" [ظ‎‎٩] (١٢٣/٢٠)

General.
Imports.
Exports.
Harvest.
Exchange.
Currency.
12
ADMINISTRATION EEPOUT ON THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL^
P ART III. TRADE EEPOET OF THE PERSIAN GULF FOR 1901.
The improvement in trade, both in import and export noticed in last vear^s
report, soon declined owing to the partial failure of f
cient rainfall, and the year under review has not been a favourable one tor trade
operations, h ^ show a considerab i e advance in the extent of
imports over the previous year, the result cannot be said to have been ue to
the transactions in any particular class of goods having proved remunerative bu
rather to overspeculation encouraged by some farms who allow lon 0
indiscriminatelv to traders of little or no means. .
The total imports into Bushire during the year, excluding specie, amount to
Es. 2,01,70,511 or an increase of Rs. 16,22,229 on the previous year. Ihe imports
into Lingab also show an increase of Bs. 16,80,614. The increase is noticeable m
almost everv article imported into Bushire, specially m cotton piece-goods,
glass and glassware, hardware and cutlery, kerosine oil, provisions anc tea, all
of which show an advance of over 50 per cent. Indigo shows a heavy decline of
nearly two lakhs of rupees. Other articles showing more or less decrease are
gold-lace and thread, metals, porcelain and china ware, loaf and soit sugar
and woollen goods. The class of goods which show an increase in impoits into
Lingah are yarn and twist, drugs and medicines, kerosine oil, provisions, loaf
and soft sugar, tea and woollen goods. #
The exports from Bushire declined by Us. 14,27,404 which is made up by a
decrease under all the principal articles exported from this port. Ihe only
articles which show an increase are horses, hides and skins, rose*water^ tobacco
and wool. The exports from Lingah improved by Rs. 13,15,735, the chief items
being pearls and shells, the former of which alone records an increase of
Rs. 12,63,000 and the latter of Rs. 41,000.
Owing to a scanty rainfall, the grain and other crops failed to the extent of
about 50 per cent, and famine prices had actually to be paid for bread stuffs.
Had it not been for the partial relief which was afforded by the abundance of
fisheries in the Gulf and the plentifulness of the date crop in Turkish Arabia,
the effect on the poorer classes would have been most disastrous. No shipments
of wheat were made to the United Kingdom during the year, prices on this
side being far too high. Towards the close of the year the embargo was
reimposed and prices rose still higher and large quantities of grain were imported
from India.
Sterling exchange rates varied between krans 53 per pound sterling in
January and March and krans 55 in September and December. Rupee exchange
was lowest in May at krans 356^ per Rs. 100 and highest in December, when it
reached krans 367^ per Rs. 100. Bar silver to the value of over Rs. 30,00,000
was imported into Bushire during the year for transmission to Tehran and specie
to the extent of four millions krans (Rs. 11,42,867) was sent up-country by
caravan.
The introduction of the nickel tokens mentioned in last year's report has
had a very beneficial effect on the currency of the country and the complica
tions arising from the debased copper currency in the ordinary market transac
tions, have been finally removed. The only copper coin now seen in the
market is the 2-shahi piece which is now accepted for ^-shahi. The old -J-
shahi and 1-shahi pieces have entirely disappeared. The old silver coinage has
also been withdrawn with the exception of ^-kran pieces which are still in
circulation. The silver coins now current in the market are the 2-kran and 1-
kran pieces minted by the Imperial Bank of Persia.
The total amount of treasure imported into Bushire was Rs. 43,01,661 or an
increase of Rs. 14,24,007. The principal countries which contributed to the
increase are United Kingdom Rs. 30,00,000, Turkey Rs. 9,60,926 and Persian
ports Rs. 3,17,587. The specie imported into Lingah was Rs. 25,12,000 or an
increase of Rs. 7 ,06,000. In the export of specie from Bushire there was a
decrease of Rs. 6,22,930, while from Lingah there was an increase of Rs. 6,76,000.