Page 457 - 6 Persian Trade rep BUSHIRE 2_Neat

II

Government.—Bushire is the headquarters of the Governor-
General of the Persian Gulf ports and islands, A committee of
elected local inhabitants, whose election is confirmed by the
Governor, looks after municipal affairs. During 1928-29 the
municipal committee have shown some activity, and the town has
\been somewhat cleaned up and some of the principal streets have
been widened, but there is still much room for improvement,
especially from the sanitary point of view.
Landing Facilities, etc.—As elsewhere in the Gulf, landing
facilities are inadequate and primitive. Ships have to anchor from
three to five miles out in an open roadstead, and goods are brought
ashore in sailing dhows. There are no cranes or derricks on the
customs wharf and all merchandise must be manhandled, The
warehouse accommodation is not adequate for the quantity of
goods handled.
Transport.—Goods are transported to the interior by motor
lorries or caravans. The motor road to Shiraz is bad, more par­
ticularly the portion which crosses the low lying sandy desert
which’ connects the island to the mainland, and after heavy rains
motor and even animal transport is often held up for three or four
days.
Rales during 1927-28 approximated to one shilling and six­
pence per ton mile for motor transport to Shiraz, a distance of
180 miles, and ninepence halfpenny per ton mile for animal
transport.
At the beginning of 1929 an aviation company inaugurated
a goods service by air to Shiraz at a cost of 15 per cent,
above motor transport rates. The company has only one machine
on this route at present, but they are reported to be bringing three
or four planes of two tons capacity. There should be a future for
this sendee particularly for bringing opium down from Shiraz.
Agriculture.—The island of Bushire is fertile and crops grow
well, but the area is not sufficient to supply the needs of the town.
The balance is brought from the plains at the foot of the moun­
tains some forty miles away, where crops also grow well when there
is sufficient rain. Some dates are grown in the district and wild
almonds are collected in the hills and exported.

Climate and Population.—The climate of Bushire, although
probably better than that of any other place in the Gulf, is un­
pleasantly hot and damp from May to October. Malaria is rife and
small-pox is endemic.
The population of the island of Bushire is estimated at 30,000.
They are mostly poor and depend upon shipping for a livelihood.

Trade.—Below is an analysis of main items of trade during
the years 192G-27 and 1927-28