"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎١‎٩] (١٧٨٢/٢٦٢)

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o£ competition from Astrakhan. From Bandar ^ Abbas it was reported that
" the Government in all parts was grown so bad that most of the noted
" merchants were afraid of risquing their lives and effects under it any
" longer, for which reason many of them had invested their money in
"jewels^ etc., and were gone with their families to Mecca, where they
" proposed to reside until the country was brought under some regular
"authority.^ Wool in Kirman was scarce and very dear; it could not be
purchased even in the villages under 60 Shahis a maund, corresponding to
more than 110 Shahis for the picked and cleaned article, whereas in
1736 it had apparently been brought to Bandar'Abbas at 35 Shahis a
maund, clear of all charges.
In 1752 there was still a dearth of Kirman wool on account of the
scarcity of goats ; but news was received that the Russia Company had
only sent one vessel from Astrakhan to Rasht during the three years
preceding, and that the agents, not venturing to land, had been obliged to
sell their goods for ready money on board ship.
Wool continued scarce in Kirman in 1753, owing to the depredations
committed upon live-stock by government troops and bands of robbers, but
in July 900 maunds had been obtained and 1,000 maunds more were ex
pected to be purchased; the price, however, was enhanced by the Dutch,
who were endeavouring to capture the whole trade, to over Rs. 8 per maund
for the article uncleaned. Communication with the interior from Bandar
' Abbas was insecure, and exactions by officials from merchants were heavy;
but " broadcloth and perpets were goods so adapted to the Persian taste
and so necessary for their dress in the winter season " that they continued
to sell very well; and in twelve months 320 bales of cloth were sent to
Kirman and all the perpets in stock at Bandar 'Abbas were cleared out.
On an indent from the Agency 500 pieces of perpets were then sent to
Bandar 'Abbas, but 3,000 more were immediately required. Perpets were
of the highest value in assisting the disposal of other cloths. The cloth
goods stored at Bandar 'Abbas were found to suffer much from the heat,
from mildew and from a kind of worm. An attempt was made to find a
market for cochineal in Persia and Turkish 'Iraq, but it did not succeed.
The decision in 1754 to open a British Factory at Rig was prompted
chiefly by a desire to push the trade in British woollen manufactures,
which was very profitable at this time, and to overcome competition by
the French and by Aleppo Adventurers, of whom the latter sent their
goods to Basrah overland.
At the end of 1755 the trade at Bandar 'Abbas was in a most flourish
ing condition ; 1,200 maunds of Kirman wool had been exported to