Page 137 - 3 Persian Trade rep KUWAIT 1_Neat

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have little or no knowledge of conducting com­ All other casks, bundles, cakes, joltas, etc.,
mercial transactions on any large scale in a hi" or small, are charged at Its. 1 each, irrespective
business-like way. Their business relations with of content*.
a few exceptions, are confined to Karachi, Bom- I Shipping and Xavigofton.—Until January 1013
bay and Calcutta. As they are unacquainted the jiriti-h India Steam Navigation Company
with foreign languages they arc heavily handi­ continual to maintain a fortnightly steamer
capp'd in expressing their wants accurately aud service to and from Kuwait, sending extra steamer*
arc consequently at the mercy of their few cor­
respondents in India, who are generally Arabs a> inducement ofTercd. Seeing the growing im-
settled in Bombay, perhaps only a shade less |<ort incc of the place in February they decided
ignorant Ilian themselves. As may be to send th?Ir steamers weekly from Bombay and
imagined double or treble handling of transac­ fortnightly from Basra.
tions must result, which, while affording com­ Tim Arab Steamers, Limit'd, at*o maintains
missions to the intermediaries, raises prices locally a fortnightly service to and from Bombay.
and do?s not always produce the goods rcallv
required. British Indians established here with The number of steam and sailing vessels that
a knowledge of Arabic would reap considerable entered aud cleard the port during the year
profits. is given in the attached shipping return.
The attachad returns will give an idea of those
articles which find most favour what in Kuwait and Freight*.—Freights during 1012-10.3 were
intending traders can see there from particular class Rs. 10 to Rs. 14 per ton to Bombay and .C 1-7-6
of goods are likely to give them the best appor- to £ 2-0-0 for London and European ports by the
tunitie6. The following articles may be said to British Iniia Steam Navigation Company. By
command a good sale here:— the Arab Steamers, Limited, thy wore Us. 10 to
Rs. 12 to Bombay.
Ename'.ware, furniture, gold and silver thread,
piece-goods, rice, coir and coir roj>e, sail cloth, Erchi-ige.—Th” following coins arc current in
coffee, haberdashery, wood for building boat6, etc. Kuwait : -English Sovereigns, Indian Rupees,
Post c • d Tel r graph.—Th” port and merchants, one anna nickel pieces, and copper pice. Maria
however, labour under two disabilities, the want of a ; Theresa dollars, Turkish Liras. Sovereigns a e
regular Post 0:fice transacting all kinds of Postal exc'iang d freely at their fixed rate of R>. 15 each
business, and the absence of telegraphic communi­ with sometimes a slight premiam. The rate of
cation. The former is an urgent necessity and as dollars has been fluctuating a good deal according
the want has been represented for some years, it is to the ri-e and fall of the silver market, and the
hoped that the Government of India will see demands of Bedouin divers returning to the
their way to establishing an Indian Post Office at interior of Arabia. The table given below shows
un early date the different rates ruling during the 12 months of
Telegrams can be sent from the Turkish the year coder report:—
telegraph olfice at Fao, or the Ind*»-Euroi>ean
Tel gr.tgb Department's office at Bushire, but in April . Rt. 141 8 0 per «ut-
both cases there is a sea-journey, which makes the
prompt receipt of despatch of messages uncertain i!ar . * Ml 12 0 „
as well as expensive. J ;rv . - 1« 4 0 „ _
Landir.g arrangements.—The landing of cargo
from steamers is carried on by the Shaikh's Cus­ July . „ 146 0 0 „ „
toms. It is admitted by Shipping Companies that
their steamers get quicker despatch at Kuwait than Au^u«t w 152 0 0. „
at other ports in the Persian Gulf, while there is
also less pilfering and theft from cargo between S«j>teuiber . ,. 149 0 O . „
ship and shore and in the Customs warehouse.
Landing charges are recovered from consignees October « 131 8 0 „ „
at the following rates :—
Forfember - 149 8 0 „ „
Bice . $ 11 per 100 bag*.
December » 1M 0 O „ „
Sugar , . * 15 „ 100 „
January - 145 0 0 „
Coffee . *25 „ 100 „
Eoroslne Oil . . R*. 6-S „ 100 cate* February . 115 0 0 . „
Charcoal. . . *20 „ 100 bag* March . 150 O 0 . „
8picet . . . R*. 0-4-6 per bag.
Piece good* . kran# 3 per ba’o. \V. II. 1. SiiAiFsrr.tR, Cajtain,
Tamarind . . Re 0-2-3 ;>-*r Political Agent, Eutoat.