ملف رقم ١٢٨٣\١٩١٣ الجزء ٥ "التجارة في بلاد الرافدين، إصدار تقرير تجارة جديد" [ظ‎‎٩‎١] (٢٧٠/١٧٨)

4
The shipping
between India and
the Gulfi
7. On pre-war data, as far as exports from Europe are concerned, two
steamers of 5,000 tons capacity per month were more than sufficient to meet
the demands of the trade, taking into consideration the European cargo,
transhipped for the Gulf in Bombay. It is impossible to gauge what
the actual shipping requirements between Europe, the Persian Gulf
and Mesopotamia and vice versa will be until the war is over and
the new conditions dependent on its result are known. All that can be said at
the present is, that, if Mesopotamia is to be British or under British protection
and if our predominance in the Gulf is to be maintained, a regular steamship
service to and from Europe should be inaugurated, not working rigidly on a
fixed time-table but with as great regularity as’can be arranged. Such a
service -would be in addition to, and would not supersede, the shipping facilities
normally enjoyed by merchants before the war. The service should include
London, Manchester and Antwerp, at any rate on the way out, and the ships
should call at Bushire regularly, and also at any other Gulf Port, if inducement
on business lines may offer. On the homeward voyage, after leaving Basrah,
Mohammerah, and Bushire, the ships might in the same way be sent in to
Bahrein and Bunder Abbas. Marseilles and London should be fixed ports of
call in Europe on the way home and facilities should be provided for the grant
ing of through bills of lading for Hamburg, Kotterdam and American ports
and others, if necessary. His Britannic Majesty’s Vice-Consul in Bushire has
suggested the desirability of a fortnightly service, but, under present conditions,
no Company of standing is likely to pledge itself to such an undertaking
without some actual experience, and, therefore, at any rate as a commencement,
a monthly service would seem appropriate. Such a service would assure the
shippers from Baghdad that their cargo would be moved to Europe once a
month and thus put an end to the complaints that Baghdad goods were often
detained two or three months in Basrah to suit the convenience of the British
Lines. It would cater for the requirements of the small grain shipper, who
is not in a position to deal in thousands of tons at a time and it would help
the Persian Gulf Ports.
It is suggested that the steamers on this service should be provided with
accommodation for some 20 passengers, all of one class, and with passage rates
at a moderate figure. This is intended to meet the requirements of the officials
and merchants residing in, or visiting, Mesopotamia, and would probably not
appeal to globe-trotters, most of whom might prefer to travel via India.
8. It would seem advisable that the powerful shipping interests in these
waters should combine with a view to arrange shipping facilities at the end
of the war, on the lines here laid down and in order to be prepared to meet
the great expansion which is bound to come, owing to the anticipated exten
sion of cultivation and development of trade in Mesopotamia and Southern
Persia.
Careful attention should also be drawn to the necessity of the British
companies securing the sugar trade from Antwerp to the Gulf, if Belgian loaf
sugar is again to supply Gulf markets after the war.
9. The services between India, the Persian Gulf and Basrah are provided
by:-
(1) The British India Steam Navigation Company.
(2) The Arab Steamers, Limited.
(3) The Persian Gulf Steam Navigation Company, Limited.
(4) Haji Sultan Ali Shushteri and Company.
(5) The Abad Company (Japanese Steamers under nominal charter to
* Mirza Muhammad Shirazi).
Complaints are not uncommon among shippers and consignees in regard
to the high freights and the failure of the shipping companies to pay sufficient
attention to the wishes and needs of local traders.
The following are the main heads of complaint:—
(1) That freights are unduly high especially in regard to the transport of
* a- endix n ^ ea ’ ^ ea 9 ucs ^ on dealt with in
i pen 1X ’ a separate note * and the charge does not
appear to be proved.