Page 671 - PERSIAN 8 1931_1940_Neat

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SECTION 7.
MANUMISSION.
The following numbers of slaves were manumitted during the year:—

Bahrain Agency 4
Sharjah Agency 61
Muscat Agency 23

A. C. STEWART,
Secretary to the Political Resident in the
Persian Gulf.

SECTION 8.
TRADE AND TRADE FACILITIES.

General Condition.—The general situation remains unchanged, Bushire has
scarcely any trade of its own, and is merely a forwarding centre. Shortage of
shipping and other war conditions caused a slight decrease in commercial activity
this year. Compared with 1939, imports declined by about 24 per cent, and
exports (excluding those to other Gulf ports) by about 33 per cent, stocks kept
in the Customs were much reduced by the end of the year.
Table “ A ” shows the volume of goods imported and exported by steamships,
the figures, which are mostly received in packages, have been converted
to tons, as in former years, at the rough estimate of ten packages to a ton. For
British India ships, the export figures for the last two years have not included
exports to other Gulf ports, for the purpose of comparison, therefore, these exports
are shown separately from the main total.
Table “ B ” shows the different types and quantities of goods imported and
exported by steamships, similar statistics for former years are not available, nor is
it possible to state in detail the origin or the ultimate destination of goods passing
through Bushire. Imports and exports by sailing vessels are usually not large,
and no details are obtainable, but such traffic has certainly increased this year
owing to the decrease in the number of steamers.
Shipping.
(a) British.
There was, as might be expected, a further decline in the number of British
ships, and only 113 called this year as compared with 151 in 1939. Two vessels
of the City Line, which brought a small quantity of imports in February and April,
are included in the figures for the British India Line in Table “ A ”. The
British India slow mail service suffered occasional interruptions, and Strick ships
became less frequent towards the end of the year. British ships, however, as
in 1939, carried nearly 50 per cent, of the total exports (in addition to those to
other Gulf ports) and imports. Among imports were medicines, metal sheets,
paper, and piece-goods from the United Kingdom and India, tea and attari
from India.
(b) Foreign.
(i) Japanese.—The Mitsui and Yamashita lines improved their position
further. With four ships less than last year, they increased their imports from
5,114 tons in 1939 to 7,150 tons in 1940, those imports consisted chiefly of cement,
MS163EAD