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RESIDENCY AND MUSCAT TOLtTlCAti AO&NCf WOR 1800-91.    47





                  Part V.—TRADE REPORT POR THE YEAR 1890.

                                 Trade and Commerce,
            The town of Moliammerah has at present little export trade, there being
         no resident merchants of any importance (with the exception of a branch of
         Messrs. Lynch Brothers, of London). The resident merchants are simply for­
         warding agents to firms up-country or at the town of Koweit in Turkish
         Arabia. The export trade of the province—wheat, oil seeds, wool, and cotton—is
         chiefly in the hands of Bussorah merchants, who purchase produce up to the
         Karun and convey it to Bussorah for sale or export.
             Dates, which are grown in large quantities, are chiefly exported to India in
         native boats, which come up in the season to purchase them.
             There are a certain number of mules and horses exported to India; but
         there being no restriction now on export of horses from Turkey, only those
         from Koweit (by native boat and Bahmisher river) and a few from interior of
         Persia arrive for shipment.
             There are some thirty shopkeepers who import piece-goods from Bombay
         through one or other of local merchants. About ten bales are opened weekly to
         supply shops and petty traders from Howizeh, principally cheap kinds of shirt­
         ings and chintz, some of Indian, but principally of English manufacture.
             Exports, as far as I have been able to ascertain, were as follows :—

                                    To Great Britain.
                                                                     £
               Wheat             311 tons             1,274
                Simsim           399 cwts.              153
               Dales             225 tons             2,000


                                       7otal          3,427         3,427

                                       ft Frtnou
                                                        £
               Simsun           313 ewt.                131           131 -
                                       TV India.
                                                       £
               Dates            5,122 tons           25,757
               Simsixn          3,393 certs.           1,552
               Linseed          1,108 cwts.             434
               Wool             2,080 bales           15,757
               Cotton             90 cwts.              138
               Reeds             320 bundles             50
               Bngloss           4«U   «                140
               Horses            465                   3,726
               Mules,            196                   1,960        49,538


                                       Total          49,538        53,096

        The imports by a 6teamer are as follows, and in addition there is good deal of
        Russian kerosine oil and a few other articles imported by native boats, and by
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