Page 509 - 6 Persian Trade rep BUSHIRE 2_Neat

II.—BUSHIRE.
General.—Bushire is the principal port on the Iranian side of
e. Gulf It has, however, lost the importance it once possessed
an importing centre owing chiefly to the rival claims of
horramshahr (formerly Mohammerah) where better facilities
r loading and unloading exist.

Landing facilities.—These are still inadequate. Goods have
be brought in by dhows from ships anchored several miles
om the shore. This often leads to damage to the goods either
hen being unloaded from the ships themselves or when dis-
iarged on the quayside from the dhows. Matters may,
uvever, improve in this respect now that a new 7 ton electric
ane has been installed on the Customs jetty to replace the
resent hand operated crane.

Transport.—Communications with the interior are still effected
/ means of a road connecting Bushire with Shiraz and beyond,
bis road is a difficult mountainous one and moreover has to
oss the low lying strip of land which connects the island of
ushire to Iran proper. This section is liable to floods in
inter and communications are thus often interrupted. Work,
jwever, is to begin in the spring on the construction of an
1-wcather motor road to overcome this drawback. During
ich times of flood recourse is had to the time-honoured donkey
1 a means of locomotion. Rates of freight transport by lorry
jtween Bushire and Shiraz averaged 60 rials per kharvar and
y direct lorry from Bushire to Tehran 300 nals per kharvar
jring the past twelve months.
The population of Bushire and hinterland is reckoned to be
the neighbourhood of 25,000 to 28,000. The climate is hot
ad damp in summer and malaria is prevalent.

Trade.—In view of trade monopolies, control of foreign
cchangc, quotas, high import duties and prohibitions Bushire
crchants are confining their activities more and more to purely
rwarding business. Congestion in the customs warehouses
also acute, and adds to the difficulties of importers.
I ntil this year merchants have found conditions in the export
ade fairly good and have exported gum, skins, almonds,
c., but now that these exports have been or may shortly be
>nfined to monopoly concerns, Bushire merchants are showing
tendency to invest their funds in such monopolies both to safe-
■lard themselves and also to obtain better return on their
ipital.