"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٢‎٤‎٣] (١٧٨٢/١٣٩٨)

1243
» l mesv
Course o£
able. Among the animals jwesessed by tlie tribe or their chief were horses
of the best breeds, greyhounds, hawks, and even such a curiosity as a
score of tame ostriches with red cloth collars and brass bells about their
necks.
Among the principal items of public revenue in 'Iraq at this time
were tne sea-customs, which were levied at Basrah at the rate of S per
cent. ad valorem on goods imported by Europeans, and at 8 percent, on
those of Turuish subjects and other Asiatics; and equivalent duties
were collected on goods re-exported from Basrah to Aleppo or imported
at Baghdad from Basrah, the valuation in the latter case being made
according to the rates of the Baghdad market. Another important
hscal resource was a *tax on date palms in the neighbourhood of
Basrah.
Baghdad was at this period an important centre of trade, so much
so that Mr. Paisons after visiting- it wrote : " This is the grand mart ^7 "
" for tie produce of India and Persia,, Constantinople, Aleppo and 1773 - 76 -
"Damascus; m short it is the grand oriental depository. ^
Basrah was of consequence chiefly as the sea-port of -Baghdad ; but
at times merchants of Aleppo carried on a direct trade with it across the
desert by caravan. These Aleppo traders brought European goods to
Basrah for sale, chiefly from Venice, also specie in the shape of Venetian
Sequins; while from the Persian Gulf side, exclusive of European goods,
the imports at Basrah were chiefly Indian piece-goods, Mokha coffee, and
drugs from various parts of Arabia and Persia. The coffee, gums and
Arabian drugs for the most part reached Basrah in' Omani vessels ; but
occasionally a British ship brought a cargo of coffee from Mokha; and
goods from Persia invariably arrived in Persian bottoms. Of the piece-
goods reaching Baghdad, large quantities were sent to Smyrna and
Constantinople; but the drugs mostly found their way to Alexandretta,
whence they were shipped to Venice, Leghorn, Marseilles, London and
Amsterdam. Horses were exported from Basrah to India, where they
fetched high prices. Besides Turkish and European merchants, there
were many rich Armenian and Jewish traders at Basrah who lived by the
continental transit trade, purchasing either on commission or, in advance
of orders, at their own risk.
The question of direct caravans between Basrah and Aleppo deserves
furtber mention, as it was occasionally a subject of correspondence
*Iti 1774 this tax on palms at Basrah was said to yield about 100,000locaTlW^
or £187,500 sterling a year, but this must bav^ beeu an exaggerated estimate, the
amount mentioned being approximately that of the revenue of the Basrah Wilayat
frum all sources at the present day.
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