Page 276 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947

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In this way local flour mills, water pumps and a host
of minor equipment have been kept going when, without
such help they would have ceased to function;thus add­
ing to the hardship already caused by strained resources
here as In the rest of the world.
A Mission of the Petroleum Resources Corporation of

America headed by Mr. Degolyer visited Kuwait in December
with the purpose of reviewing the petroleum resources
of the Middle East.

XIV. IMPERIAL BANK OF IRAN

The business of the Bank during the year 1943 has
continued to make satisfactory progress in spite of
restrictions in supplies of goods from abroad. The

merchants community, however, take full advantage of
any offers of goods made to them from India, the United
Kingdom, the United States and Switzerland, provided
currency and export difficulties are overcome. The Bank
is frequently used as an intermediary in opening credits

in these countries. In the case of the United States
and Switzerland dollar exchange is required as a purchas­
ing medium but this currency- is almost unobtainable in

the Kuwait market. A moderate supply of dollars is
occasionally transferred from Iran by merchants who
have rial funds available there.
The number of current accounts opened during the year
have increased from about 120 to 160 and included in

these figures are the majority of the merchants and
traders to whom a current account is likely to be of
advantage. An interesting point is that the deposits

arising from these current aocounts have increased
from approximately Hi. 17,80,000 to Ri.65,00,000 during
the course of the year. This large figure, while