"مذكرة عن التجارة في الخليج الفارسي (قدمها مجلس التجارة)" [و‎‎٧‎٤] (٤/٣)

There is very little trade with foreign countries beyond the Persian Gulf. The
United States of America took considerable quantities of dates (Fard) in 1924-5, value
£38,748, but this trade had fallen to £12,896 in 1926-7.
The trade of Muscat was entirely carried in British (including Indian) vessels
in 1926-7, except for 2 Arab sailing vessels. There were 117 British steamers
aggregating 400,000 net tonnage entering and clearing during that year, as well
as 62 Indian sailing vessels aggregating 8,000 tons net, and the 2 Arab vessels
referred to (of 270 tons net).
(c) The position of British Trade in the Grulf.
The first section of this Note deals in general terms with the question of trade in
the Gulf: the second in some detail with the position of Koweit and Muscat. The
present section deals principally with the British trade position and with the possible
advantage or disadvantage to be derived from a purely political movement such as a
formal reassertion of the special interest in the Gulf of His Majesty’s Government.
British trade with the Persian Gulf consists of trade with (1) Persia (nearly
all our trade with Persia is via the south, trade over the northern frontier being
predominantly trade with Russia); (2) Iraq; and (3) Arab States. The last branch
of our trade is relatively insignificant, but trade with Persia and Iraq is of substantial
magnitude, as the following figures for 1927 show : —
Imports into
the
United Kingdom.
Exports from the United Kingdom.
United Kingdom
Produce and
Manufactures.
Re-exports.
£
£
£
Persia
9,449.000
2,247,000
170,000
Iraq
1,708,000
3,680,000
142,000
Muscat and Trucial Oman
9,000
15,000
1,000
Other native Arab States
6,000
147,000
1,000
Details for 1927 are wanting, but in 1926 out of imports from Persia, amounting
in value to £7,856,000, no less than £7,213,000 represented oil, crude and refined,
other imports being gum, skins, dates, barley and carpets. Imports from Iraq in the
same year amounted to £852,000, the principal headings being dates (£262,000),
undressed leather (£145,000) and carpets (£103,000).
The predominant exports to Iraq are cotton manufactures, which also figure largely
in our exports to Persia. They are, however, less than the similar exports to Iraq, and
in 1926 were exceeded in value by the exports of iron and steel manufactures whilst
exports of machinery were also considerable. The following figures show the exports
under each of these headings and the total exports to Persia and Iraq respectively
in 1926 :—
Reports of the Produce and Manufactures
of the United Kingdom in 192G.
Persia. Iraq.
£
*
Cotton manufactures
469,000
1,584,000
Iron and Steel manufactures
540,000
144,000
Machinery ..
294,000
199,000
Other goods ..
698,000
903.000
2,001,000
2,830.000
In spite of our undoubted Treaty rights Russian goods admitted into Persia over
the Northern frontier have for some years enjoyed the advantage of a lower tariff than
that extended to British goods admitted over the Southern frontier, but Persia about a
month ago introduced a Uniform tariff applicable to all frontiers and concluded a treaty
with us by virtue of which British goods are secured against any form of customs
discrimination. This Treaty is concluded for a period of eight years and we have
every reason to hope that its provisions will be respected.
Iraq was placed under our Mandate by the Treaty of Versailles and by the terms
of that Treaty and the mandate we were also secured against discrimination. The