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38 ADMINISTRATION REPORT ON THE PERSIAN GOLF ’POLITICAL

Part III.—TRADE REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULP, FOR 1897.

GENERAL REMARKfl.
As anticipated in last year’s report, trade to and from the Gulf liaa not
been as flourishing in 1897 as in recent previous years.
In spite, however, of a recrudescence of the plague in India and a poor
harvest in Southern Porsia, due to a very scanty rainfall, the year shows an
improvement on 1896 to the extent of an increase of R73,23,602 in imports,
and of R2,44,432 in exports.
The poorness of the spring harvest in 1897 compelled people to resort early
in the year to the stores of grain preserved in underground granaries from pre­
vious years, and, when these were exhausted, food-stuffs had to be imported
from India and Basrah. Prices of food-stuffs in August and September were
higher than they are remembered to have been in any former year, and wheu,
during the latter months of the year, rain persistently held off, fears were
generally entertained that a worse famine than that of 1871-72 was inevitable.
These fears have since fortunately been dissipated by the excellent rainfall
which occurred in March ISOS; and the harvest is reported to be good, though
less land than usual lias been brought under cultivation.
The old-established shipping companies, the British India, the Bombay
and Persia, and the Anglo-Arabian and Persian Gulf, had the field to them­
selves in the Persian Gulf throughout the year, and with the exception of a
short interruption in the service of the first mentioned, consequent on a strike
amongst its officers, on the eastern run, all three services worked very regu­
larly.
The new German firm alluded to in last year’s report, which trades under
the name, of Deutsch-Persische Handels-Gesellscliaft, continued its operations
at Busliire throughout the year, besides starting Agencies at Shiraz and in one
or two of the lesser ports ia the Persian Gulf.
Mauy raerchaut« and manufacturers in Germany and Belgium have com­
menced soliciting orders from the Persian traders, and their eagerness to afford
facilities will probably sooner or later open up fresh lines of commerce, though,
for the year under report, the competition thus offered has not been seriously
felt by the old-established firms here.
The deputation of Dr. Ilauck, formerly of the German Legation at Tehran,
as Consul in Bushire, to institute a German Vice-Consulate here, is significant
of the endeavours to expand her trade which Germany has lately begun to
make all over the world.
A small native banking establishment, conducted entirely by Persian
merchants, and with a capital of £20,000 in shares, opened this year under the
style of the Bushire Trading Company. Similar institutions have also been
started in Shiraz, Ispahan and Tehran, and it is claimed for these companies
by their supporters that they have rendered important services to the general
public. The Imperial Bank of Persia is, however, strongly protesting against
their existence, on the ground that they infringe the concession made to the
Bank.
# Towards the close of 1897, the prospects for the present year seemed
decidedly gloomy. The sowing seasoD, which commences in November, opened
under such unfavourable circumstances as a heavy mortality amongst the cattle
and plough animals, scarcity and high prices of seed, impoverishment of the
cultivators, and tardy and scanty rain. Added to this were the misfortunes of
internecine quarrels, and the loss by shipwreck of many able-bodied men who
had gone to Basrah on the annual mission to purchase dates for the year’s con
sumption, and for distribution amongst the peasantry. The removal of these