Page 412 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

116 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF TIIK PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 18SS-S8.

It will doubtless hnvo boon observed that tho w danik” weights arc not in the relative
proportion they nominally hear to tho mashad miskal of which they aro tho rtcognis«l
sub-divisions.
11. TIio Gulf pearl merchant having bought as many pearls os ho desire*, proceeds to
assort them into tho most saleablo parcels possiblo; tho largest pearls ho will send to the
Indian market to bo sold separately by tho “chao,” llio others ho will divide into parcels, all
pearls of the same quality boing put into tho same parcel; ho will then pass tho pearl* of each
parcel through his sioves, which will give tho number of pearls of each size in each parcel,
and tho contents of each siovo on being weighed will show the number of wchao" of each
sized pearls in tbo parcel, and tho number of ” chao ” in each sieve being added together
will give tho number of “chaon in tho, whole parcel which will be sold, as a whole, in the
Indian market at an average price per “ chao "; and I am informed that sold is this way
tho larger pearls of such parcels fetch a larger proportionate price than they would do if sold
singly.
12. I ought not perhaps to concludo this paper without noting that the actual weight
of tho Arab miskals manufactured year by year according to the will of the clique (to this
extent only) of buyers of pearls in the Persian Gulf has, I am informed, for some ten or fifteen
years been substantially increasing year by year, and that this increase in tbo actual size of
tho weights has been effected by tho buyers to counterpoise the increasing prices demanded
by the pearl fishers, owing to their growing knowledge of the prices obtained in the Indian
and foreign markets by those to whom they sell; but I gather from a cursory examination
of weighrnents I havo mndo of several sets of Arab weights used during the past five years,
that for the last two or three years these weights have been made fighter,—in other words, that
two or three years ago the pearl buyers touched the lowest point at wliich they could compel the
pearl producers to sell, so as to leave themselves (the buyers) the profits they had been accus­
tomed to realise.
13. In conclusion, it appears to me that a keen appreciation of quality as made up of
colour, brilliancy, shape, specific gravity, and size, combined with a knowledge of the Indian
and foreign market prices obtainable for the various classes, shapes, and qualities of pearls,
and some one standard of weight thoroughly [understood from which t<5 make his private
calculations, are the matters most essential to a pearl merchant; while an exact knowledge of
the relative values of all the various weights which are used, and a skilful manipulation of
them when conducting his bargainings, are extra talents which will sometimes secure an extra
profit.
Note.—The equivalent in English grains of the Bahrein weights have not been given for
tbe reason tliat in Muscat I have been unable to obtain a set of them; they appear to be only
used at Bahrein itself.
E. Mockleb, lAcut.-CoL,
H. B. M*s Political Agent and Consul, Mutest

Exd.—T. T.

O*ftnoeai W India Caotral Priatiaf OAoa.—No. tS f, D.-W ■ —l*a