Page 13 - 6 Persian Trade rep BUSHIRE 2_Neat

3
Thus the increased value of £ocds, as declared Even so, it is remarkable that, despite tho
to the Customs, disguises the fact that the adverse conditions under which trade generally,
tonnage handled at the port was some 6,000 tons and Persian trade in particular, is labouring, tho
Jess than in the worst year of recent times, aud year 1915-16 should have proved so much more
only half that of 1913-13. remunerative for the Customs revenue from the
Persian Gulf Ports than in any previous year
Comparison of Trade. recorded.
The proportion of Great Britain and India and The increase in 1915-16 is however easily
Colonies aggregated 93*3 per cent, of the whole explained. Of the £133,603 obtained at Burbire,
value of import trade (as against 7S*04 per cent, £04,060 represents the duty on Tea alone, aa
in the preceding year) : and fc2*9 per cent, (previous compared with £23,659 in 191-1-13. Increased
year 80*2) of the export trade of the port. The^e revenue from duties at Bandar Abbas and Arabistaa
are the highest 6gurcs on record and are to be may also be attributed to larger imports of Tea.
explained by the fact that owing to the war
trade with the Persian Gulf was daring the year As an illustration of the unwarractably heavy
under report almost entirely limited to the United tariff rates on Tea, it nuy be observed that,
Kingdom and India. The share of Great Britain notwithstanding the very hi«ih cost of and freight
and India in the total import and export trade on Tea in 1915-16, the £G4,0?O duty realized at
amounted to:— Baihire represents an average duty of *25 per cent.
ad calorem.
Percent. P<r cent. Theie was a slight fall:n2-nff in the export
duty derived from opium at Bushire, £ 23,0.5 as
19:1 . 55 1CO9-I0 . es compared with £30,UlU in 1214-15.
1902 . 63 1910-11 . 70 Exchange.
1953 . 49 1911-12 . Go
Tor various reasons, intimately connected with
1904 . 55 1912-13 . 66 the War, hut chiefly owing to the depreciation
of the Rouble, which brought down the value of
19C5 . 59 1913-14 . 43 the Kran in sympathy {sterling remaining
1935-7 52 1914-15 . 79 approximately stable) the rate of sterling exchange
in southern Persia generally was abnormally high
1907-8 77 1915-16 . 90-3 during the 12 months under report: 55 Krans to
the £L may be taken as an average normal rate :
1905-9 TO
in 1915-16 the minimum (la>t day of the period)
wa3 351, the average was 63, and 70 was actually
Customs Receipts in the Gulf Ports. reached at Bnshire in the middle of August 1215.
This maximum rate of 70 is the highest known in
Gross Customs revenue for the provinces on this district since records were established.
the Persian Gulf for the past four years at the
rate of 55 krans per £1 (for purposes of compari­ Towards the end of the period under review
son) has been equivalent to:— quotations at Bushire were already falling in
sympathy with lower Kran rates in Northern
Persia (chiefly owing to Russian successes, in
Province. 1912-13. 1913-14. 1914-15. 1915-16. Earope and Asia, brighter prospects generally, and
other causes, and the sympathetic appreciation of
£ £ £ £ the Kran). In Bnshire the high rates during the
Bandar Abbs* 28270 38.970 28,778 44233 earlier part of the year were the result of :—
Boahire 89.565 82,021 99246 125.609 (1) the failure of the wheat export season ;
Arxbirtan 47.377 53,110 35217 66.6S0 (2) the demand for exchange on India to pay
for unusually heavy imports of Tea ;
165213 174.101 1G32C9 236*23
while later the political situation in the sooth,
2*~B.—The average rates of exchange ruling in the two the closure of the road to Shiraz, the large amount
latter perieda were nearer oO Knns per £ than 55 Kran* : of sterling exchange in the hands of Persian
and a* regard* payment* of interest, eft, on British loan* merchants, and scarcity of shipping facilities for
and advances (vented on the Soothers Custom*} the rate of imports, were farther reason* for the falL
GO Kr*a* should be borne is mind.