Page 175 - PERSIAN 4 1899_1905

residency and maskat political agency for THE YEAR 1000-1001. 23

Part III.—TRADE REPORT OP TELE PERSIAN GULF FOR 1000.
Tlicro have been marked signs of improvement in trade both in import Gonorai
and export during the year under review, owing to the gradual recovery of thoRomarks*
country from tho effects of tho previous year’s scarcity brought on by scanty
rainfall.
Imports.—The imports into Bushiro improved to the extent of Rs. GO,98,027,
while those into Lingab declined by Its. 16,52,855. The articles which chiefly
contributed to increase Bushire imports are candles, cotton piccegoods, drugs
and medicines, yarn and twist, glass and glassware, gold lace and thread,
hardware, indigo, matches, metals, kerosine oil, porcelain and chinaware,
ioaf and soft sugar, woollen goods and spocie. The items shewing decrease
in Lingah imports are dates, grain and pulse, pearls and specie.
Exports.—The exports from Bushiro improved by Rs. 27,1*1,8-16 under the
beads of cotton, almonds, wheat, gum, opium, tobacco, carpets and specie,
while those from Liugah decreased by Rs. 12,26,600 under the beads of grain
and pulse, pearls and specie.
Harvest.—The grain crop of the year was abundant, hut the prices did
not fall to a sufficient extent to encourage exportations being undertaken on
any large scale; and the shipments made to London by the leading British firms
proving unremunerative, further operations in that direction were disconti­
nued.
Tearl fishery.—The heavy decline both in the imports into, and exports
from, Lingali is due to the failure cf the pearl fishery on the Arab Coast of the
Gulf. The import of pearls declined by nearly eight lakhs of rupees, and the
export by six and-a-lialf lakhs. The importance of Liugab as a commercial
port is entirely dependent upon the prospects of the pearl fisheries on tbo Arab
Coast, and any failure or success in these operations directly affects tba
interests of that port, as it is used as an entrepot for trade operations all over
the Arab Coast, and the product of the pearl fisheries is brought to it for
exportation abroad. From various reports received from the Residency Agents
at Lingab and on tlie Arab Coast, it was apprehended that the fake during the
year would he very limited. The apprehension has been unfortunately
realized, and the operations which were undertaken resulted in the output of
pearls of very small sizes, unsuited to the requirements of the market abroad,
llr. Gaskin, the Assistant Political Agent, in bis report on the Bahrein trade,
mentions that one of tho principal pearl hanks to the north of the Bahrein
Islands was found diseased, and that the pearl fishery there proved a failure.
Gum Industry.—The new industry of gum is making rapid progress and
may eventually become an important item in the export trade of the Gulf.
Tragacanth is finding much favour in the United Kingdom and Germany, and
America might also come in for a share. The industry, however, does not appear
to be conducted with any foresight or method, and may suddenly die it the
operations for collecting the exudations are not manipulated scientifically.
A few years ago Tragacanth was quite unknown in Persia, and only the Kerman-
shah district contributed towards the exportation of that item via Baghdad.
It is now only three or four years that both Shiraz and Ispahan have come
forward to contribute towards this trade. The industry in the province of Fare
is said to bo capable of great improvement, and vast tracts of land full of the
Tragacanth-producing plant, which were lying untouched before, are being much
utilized. From the reports which have been received, it appears that the
peasantry employed in the collection of the Tragacanth work in a* reckless
manner, causing much damage to tbo plants, which are burnt down after inoision
to such an extent as to render tho same field unproductive for some years to
come. Though tho Tragacanth fields are numerous and extensive, they will not
be able to withstand the wholesale depredations which are now being perpe­
trated on them, unless the Persian Government undertakes their supervision
with a view to maintaining and improving tho industry. As it is, this nasoent