Page 12 - 6 Persian Trade rep BUSHIRE 2_Neat

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serious fichtir.g arose in the town when the increase above the normal : but on the other band
rebels expelled tho acting Governor General of the closure of the usual Dardan^lles-Batoum route
Fare. to northern Persian markets since the outbreak of
Not only in Isfahan and Shiraz, but other the war with Turkey led to remarkable business
towns, such as Sultanjbad, the branches of the in Tea being done through Bcihire in 1915-16,
Imperial Bank of Persia fell into the bands of and both in balk and value the import reaching
tbc* rebels, or German emissaries: while the ten times that of 1013-14?- In fact the increase
i in value of Tea entering Bushire in 1915-16
i Government of India prohibited money transac­ over that of 1911-15 was £196,369, and more
: tions with those and other places inland. than responsible for the increased total value of
'
: Bushirc Town and Peninsula under British imports in the former year.
Though exports declined generally owing to
Government. unfavourable conditions of transport, and other
I The Persian Government having failed to give reasoas, the higher purchase prices of opium are
i redress for the murder of two British officers on to some extent responsible for the decrease not
t Bushire Peninsula by local tribesmen, and for being so marked as otherwise was to be expected.
other political reasons, the town and peninsula With these observations in mind, it will be
were occupied by British military forces, on seen that the increase of £107.978 in imports (a
: August Sth, 1915, the Persian flag being replaced decrease of nearly £200,000 as compared with
by the British flag, and a British Military 1912-13) does not really represent an improvement
Government, with martial law, instituted. in Persian Trade: while the decrease of £136,115
This noteworthy change in local administrative in exports as compared with 19 i 1-15 is still more
conditions lasted till October 16th, 1915, when the misleading.
town and island wore restored to the Persian The following figures represent conversions
Government, and a Persian Governor arrived to from krans at the average rates of exchange,
take over charge. adopted for these years :—
Exposed to such disabilities, trade in Bnsbire
wa= extremely bad throughout the year, to an Lnporti. Exportj.
extent which is not revealed by the statistical
tables of Imports and Exports: large stocks
remained on hand by the end of March 1916, £ £
1904 S S.932 413/29
1905 r'vJ.6 36 427,255
Yolume of Trade. 1906-7 . 755,311 514.0:9
19 7-3 . 1/52013 497.9CO
Before giving the comparative figures of lOv.8-9 . 721,32 393,269
364,445
Imports and Exports in recent years, the changes 19.9-10 . £31,901 317,227
623,286
1910- 11 .
from normal standards resulting from the war, 1911- 12 . S47.755 608^0
in the figures of the principal items of trade, 1912- 13 . 951,720 637,091
601,765
already noticed in the report for 1914-15, require 1913- 14 . 623,767 719,171
CS 9.39
1914- 15 .
i repetition. 1915- 16 . 777,317 383,055
Cotton piece-goods from Manchester are
usually the most valuable article of Persian
i
: business via Bushire, and in 1912-13 over The tonnage statistics give a better indication
£500,000 worth were imported. The absence of of the decrease in the volume of trade through
i direct import is responsible for ihis import the port
having declined to half the normal weight, while
the value given for 1915-16 reflects the higher Iaxporta. Exports.
prices of production and nale, and is not a
good guide in comparison with figures of former Ton.
years. 1908- 9 . 16,981
Loaf-sugar, which stood at £177,429 in 1913- 1909- 10 . 26,404
13,87^
1910- 11 .
14, has failen away to less than one-tenth of that 1911- 13 _ 16^97 28.034
value, owing to the usual sources of supply being 1912- 13 . . 19,712 13,776
in enemy possession. Crystal sngar, though its 1913- 14 . 23,614 6.609
18,041
5.723
1914- 15 .
use has been substituted for that of loaf-sugar, 1915- 16 . 14029 3,863
to some extent by the population, shows little