Page 71 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

PART III—CHAPTER XIV.
53
Appendices G. (7) a (8) shows the principal exports and imports of Moham-
merah and Karun parts since 1899.
Trade of Bahrein and Arab (Pirate) Coast*

Writing in 1800, *Captain Malcolm (afterwards Sir John Malcolm) estimated
the value of the exports of Bahrein and the southern shore of the Persian Gulf
at about 10 lakhs of rupees.f In 1823 Captain McLeod, reporting on the
Joasmi tribe (being then at Ras-ul-Khaima and Shargah) described them as
possessing no articles of export, since their pearls are generally purchased by mer­
chants on the spot and the produce of their country is not sufficient even for their
maintenance. Their only employment is fishing, diving for pearls and importing
dates, grain and other necessaries of life, which they purchase with the price of these
pearls" Major Hennell in his report, dated 15th May 1837, quoted in chapter V, ante
writes in much the same strain of the condition of the trade of the Arab Coast.
Colonel Pelly’s well known report of 1863 estimates their gross yieldings from
pearl diving at 4,000,000 of dollars as compared with 3,500,000 dollars of
Bahrein. They were then mainly dependent for subsistence on the proceeds
of their pearl diving. They imported from Malabar, especially Mangalore, a
large quantity of rice and some teakwood. They traded also with Zanzibar,
bringing from the Africa masts for their boats, cloves and rice, and also slaves.
The maritime resources of the Arab tribe on the coast in Bahrein in
1803 are shown in Colonel Pelly’s report
{Taken from Appendices F. (21)—(32J.
of that year. The gross trade of Bahrein
amounted in 1863 to about 28 lakhs of rupees, dependent principally on pearls.
The imports of Bahrein were mainly from India. The following two statements
show} the state of trade with the principal countries since 1873 :—

’Captain Malcolm's report on the trade between Persia and India, paragraph 33 et seq printed as Appendix
H to the Selections (1600—1800).
{Extract quoted in paragiaph m of Colonel Pelly’s published report on the Persian Gulf tribes, etc., 1863.

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