Page 135 - 3 Persian Trade rep KUWAIT 1_Neat

REPORT.

OX TOE
TRADE OF KUWAIT FOR THE YEAR 1012-1913.
(1st April to SJtl Jlarch.)
General.— Kuwait is a rising port on (lie provided always (hat the caravan routes remain
Arabian side of the Persian jGa!f with a population moderately safe and secure for the transport of
estimated at some 50,000 souls, hut the trade of merchandise. The security of these routes depends
the port is not wholly al-orbed by this population, very largely on the relations between the Ruler of
the greater part of it being for the interior of Kuwait, the Amir of Nejd (“ Bin Sau<l”) and Ilm
Arabia. The inhabitants of the town are almost Ra>h:d, the Ruler of Jalal Shammar; for the last
all seafaring folk whose prosperity depends entire­ two ai.d a half years the three have been at peace
ly on pearllishing. They send out from 7<J0 to ! with the result now apparent in the trade figure*
feOO diving-boats to the Persian Gulf pearl- of this port.
hanks each year, the crews of which arc foond In ,hc nnl!cr thc total trade has
partly loca ly and partly from Bedcum and others amor.n!od Jt0 the rccord fi (slitist!cs arc only
who visit the place for the diving season only; availiUc fnr nine carr) pu. S5,M,.')70 as com-
the crews are made up by about one-half of each j wi,h Rs. Ci,0t,152 last year, an increase
class and the total number of men and youth* *f s5.36 'Evcn this figure does not
Ir” "" represent the wnom increase, for a shipment of some
1, ,1) and U,U . ."j5,0 .-0 packages of rice, which should really have
A good pearl-season increases the wealth of the fallen into the import returns under review, was
portend stimulates trade, and, as the last 3 or I J delayed and arrived a few da vs after the close of
seasons may all be classed as either good ” or the year to which these returns relate.
“ very good ” there has been a considerable and
steady expansion iu trade, a result also due in A particularly interesting view of the total trade
.
part to the exceptional state of peace among the i "/ Port’s finished by an inspection of the
tribes of the hinterland and the consequent Letter j ]iSur'-*s ^or last eight years which I give below
.
s-vurity and safety of thn caravan routes. Kuwai- j *;i tabular form. My object in eliminating the
(is, however, are improvident and careless to a | value of M Arms and Ammunition’’ and “ Specie
degree, holding with profound sincerity that the j from loth Imports and Exports is to arrive at the
mercy of Providence extends even to a benevolent ; value of actual legitimate trade in commodities,
blindness to their thriftlessness and negligence, j The trade in arms and ammunition was a specula-
Thcy make no provision fur possible rainy days ; t:v.» -ue which lias dwindled to very small propor-
and consequently any serious finctuation iu tii • j as a r,‘?,Jlt of general British measures
] earl-market, always a mostspeculativeone, aS*.-cts « against the traifie in the Gulf, whilst Specie is an
thc well-being of the port most seriously. But as j R'-m which fluctuates enormously for a variety of
Kuwait is becoming more and more a distributing i reasons and whose inclusiaa rather obscures an
centre of goods for Nejd and the important towns i appr v.ation of the real trade of the port. The
of Central Arabia, and an increasing uuinber of above table farther shows bow seriously the pearF
merchants appear to be taking to a more stable market affects the figures as speaking generally
form of trade than pearls, there is hope that the 1905 and 190G were good seasons, 1907 and 190S
figures in future years will continue to expand, l*ad, 1909 and subsequent years very good or good-

Total Import* of Principal Article*. (By Buggalori.)
i
Ikxiii. Exmb».
Tf»r of Txadc
Fifrorem. VliM 1 J l Y* - If,,
1ft Anril to 31ft i Total . SptrU T.-UI and Amies. ! BiUr.n of
A*
frrh. a?
. Ireport*. • Im|«vu4. VbIiioo
'tZZ j « -H-TU4. j
i
: Bf. Bf. j Bf. E*. j Bf. Ef. B*. Bf. B«.
i !
1806-1806 . tf.l8^» . 10,0^00 #3,157 | X-jajXt \IMJX* | 3.W .MS : 44.34,07# —11V
I
1 #06-1807 . si.27.ri >.71,100 ».ae/si lc^i.yn I.40.6S6 14.M.CA* i 60,76,70# I 411V
l i ! ! I
19W7-1MI . u.&6.fi«o n.to.ao 4.M.400 37.97.178 91,61,747 4,86,000 6,47,7a 6,]fcjM6 i 46,16,104
1 < I
I
IBC6-190# . tf,43,120 : #.37,014 >.01,100 >.'4,ora i7^6.i-a l.n.WO 1O.30.4U 4.84,736 , I
I !
1008-1810 . 38.07.961 3,20,TW 1,18,000 X3.1WU 14.ll,>3 1,18,160 6.38.371 6.42.H1 i 40.06.W3
: i
1810-1811 . 44.li.M4 1.41.(10 j 1,12,600 j 4I.T2.W * 10.43.VI 30.7W ' 9,62,864 6. IS.744 j 47.81.791 + 181
! I
1811-1813 . 61,17,134 43.00) | 8.69,387 j 45.9X937 * 10.77.3:4 1.46.9M #.2*.») : 64.C1.W7 411*
. J 64.71,470 ! i 1.17.6.C | 16,71.600 I : ! i 1
1812-1813 . 47.54.Cf • 18.M.XV •
I 1 ! 11.1C.4J0 j 60.66.0 8 4111